Phil Goff wrote to John Key yesterday requesting his engagement to achieve a consensus on the Bill and work through the amendments needed to ensure bi-partisan support.
Labour is seeking government agreement to moderate a controversial telco law which it believes will put broadband prices up and won’t encourage new connections to its new fibre network.
This is a reasonable and responsible position and not taken lightly.
Broadband should be a bi-partisan consensus policy area. And it’s a damn shame that it’s become a battleground and a shambles.
This telco law is bad law and bad policy. It is not a durable solution. It’s unacceptable to us in its present form. We cannot live with it. If the government does not moderate it significantly. If the law is driven through without significant change, then we cannot say we will uphold it, should we be elected.
We cannot announce a hard and fast position until the select committee has finished its work and the Bill is reported back to the House.
We want to minimise any risk to investors, we understand the importance of this network. We want New Zealand’s future to be linked to a high speed digital network that will provide the bedrock for an innovative export-led recovery and for sustainable jobs to be created for our children.
If the government does not moderate it significantly. If the law is driven through without significant change, then we cannot say we will uphold it, should we be elected. We cannot announce a hard and fast position until the select committee has finished its work and the Bill is reported back to the House.
Here’s what I said in my speech at the Tel Con 11 conference yesterday
No it’s not and the select committee won’t make it any better. If the policy that NACT are passing is damaging to NZ then the only reasonable and responsible action is to promise to repeal after the next election.
No you don’t or you’d be promising to renationalise it. Jeeze Clare, you’ve even argued for broadband being a right which means that it cannot be left to the market and private ownership as the privatisation of Telecom has proven beyond doubt over the last 20 years.
Draco the point is that it should be bi-partisan but isn’t, because we have an unworkable policy, unworkable law and a Minister who refuses to listen to concerns, criticism from across the industry, even around the world. That’s why Goff has written to Key, because perhaps he’ll listen.
Here’s hoping, Clare.
It should also be rational and in the best interests of NZ and leaving to private profiteers and the market is irrational.
This is part of why Labour HAVE to get in during the next term. The question I have to pose though is, “what would Labour do in its place?”. Bipartisan support or not – what are Labour seeking rather than what National are trying to do? I’m not happy with the half arsed support on the Copyright Bill (the problem was less about the termination as much as the fact that accusations could get you in jeopardy – which was never addressed in your press release).
It’s that time – close to election time. Time to answer some of the tougher questions.
Take this as an opportunity rather than a criticism (though it is both).
Well I suspect that Labour would (a) seek a bipartisan approach and (b) stop peeving off half the teleco industry by playing favourites and (c) get this thing happening before the next million years.
Didnt Labour try to do Super in a bi-partisan way?