The NBNCo board have offered their resignations to the government this morning. This is a major development in the NBN story as we change from the FTTP model to the FTTN approach under the Coalition. The resignations have been offered at this point, but not accepted.
To accept the resignation, the government cabinet needs to meet and agree, but it’s unlikely they’ll go against the now Minister for Communications, Malcolm Turnbull. This could take a number of weeks before the resignations are accepted, but there’s little doubt they will. Turnbull has been incredibly critical of the NBNCo Board throughout his time in opposition, as the project delays increased.
It was always going to be difficult for Turnbull and Chairman Siobhan McKenna to work productively together after Turnbull made comments relating to her lack of experience in building communications infrastructure. McKenna was appointed Chairman of NBN Co on 15 March 2013 and as a Director on 5 August 2009.
You can read the full biographies of the board members on NBNCo’s website, but you better be fast before they are replaced.
With a change in approach from FTTP to FTTN, there is definitely a feeling that those board members and many of the NBNCo employees really believed in the FTTP model. That option is clearly gone, with the Coalition in power, they did take their approach to the voters and won. While there’s a change.org petition of more than 257,000 signatures, there isn’t a number that will change Turnbull’s mind.
More information at ABC
