James Glenday reported this story on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 18:10:00

TIM PALMER: The Federal Opposition has launched its first major election policy.



It's promising to build a national broadband network faster and for less money than the Government's current scheme.



Today's announcement is worth $30 billion and represents a major change of heart for the Coalition, which vowed to scrap the NBN (National Broadband Network) during the 2010 campaign.



But Labor, The Greens, and the country independents say the Opposition policy still doesn't stack up.



Political reporter James Glenday.



JAMES GLENDAY: In 2010, the Opposition Leader conceded he was 'no tech head'.



TONY ABBOTT: I say as well, I'm no Bill Gates here.



JAMES GLENDAY: But today Tony Abbott was surrounded by the latest gadgets and even a graphic of a Rugby League star.



TONY ABBOTT: That's a computer-generated representation of Sonny Bill isn't it?



JAMES GLENDAY: ... as he unveiled his party's newest policy in a Sydney pay TV studio.



TONY ABBOTT: We believe in a National Broadband Network and we will deliver a better National Broadband Network faster and more affordably than this Government possibly can.



JAMES GLENDAY: To do that the Coalition is putting up $25 billion more than it did during the last election to deliver internet speeds of at least 25 megabits per second by 2016, or the end of its first term in Government.



TONY ABBOTT: By the end of our second term, should we get one, by 2019, the vast majority of households will get access to 50 megabits, or ten times current speeds.



JAMES GLENDAY: To make the network cheaper and easier to build, the Coalition won't connect all homes with high speed fibre optic cable.



Instead it will run fibre to nodes, or neighbourhood cabinets on the corner of most streets. The existing copper network will then link most houses to the NBN.



The Opposition's communication's spokesman Malcolm Turnbull says services could be $24 a month cheaper than under Labor, although customers in regional areas could end up paying more than those in the major cities.



MALCOLM TURNBULL: The biggest barrier to internet access is not technology - it's affordability.



People in the lowest income percentages are far, far, far less likely to have access to the internet. You don't have to be a sociologist to work out why - it's because they can't afford it.



JAMES GLENDAY: Because the copper network is older, internet speeds are likely to be slower than under the Government's plan.



But all new homes and business hubs will be linked with fibre and customers that want higher speeds will be able to pay much more to connect their home with fibre cables.



MALCOLM TURNBULL: Speed is only valuable to you in so far as you can use it for something. The value or the utility of broadband does not increase in a linear fashion with the speed.



In other words, 20 megabits per second is not twice as useful or valuable to you as 10, and 40 is certainly not twice as valuable to you as 20.



JAMES GLENDAY: The Coalition's also promising to hold three inquiries - into the NBN, Labor's policy and the nation's telecommunications needs.



But one of the biggest arguments is about the cost. It claims Labor's plan is unrealistic, will blow out and cost more than $90 billion in the long run.



The Government says that's rubbish - it puts the total cost of its network around $44 billion.



STEPHEN CONROY: They're going to leave the copper - I can't find a dumber piece of public policy than buying the copper off Telstra. I mean, come on down Alan Bond.



JAMES GLENDAY: The Communications Minister Stephen Conroy was the first to criticise the Coalition's plan. The Regional Development Minister Anthony Albanese quickly followed suit.



ANTHONY ALBANESE: Of course it's not national, it's not high-speed broadband, and there's no network.



JAMES GLENDAY: As did The Greens leader, Christine Milne.



CHRISTINE MILNE: Well at last the Coalition has come out with some detail around one of its policies, and what it demonstrates absolutely is that it is not a party for building the nation.



JAMES GLENDAY: Broadband policy was a major reason the crossbench allowed Labor to form minority government in 2010 and Independent Tony Windsor says the Government's plan is better for regional Australia.



TONY WINDSOR: And even if it does blow out to some degree, Australians would have the best technology available with an exponential capacity.



JAMES GLENDAY: But business and industry groups have welcomed the release of the Coalition document, saying it should lead to more sensible debate about broadband.



They're hoping for more discussion of major policies, rather than politics, in the lead up to the election.



TIM PALMER: James Glenday reporting.