What Happened With The NBN This Week? ~ TechSpot

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Luke Hopewell Today 4:00 PM Share Discuss Bookmark

A storm cloud filled with bad news hung over the National Broadband Network this week, with asbestos fears and the death of a contractor marring the roll-out of the multi-billion dollar fibre network.

NBN Co’s problems started earlier in the week when it was revealed that Telstra contractors who had been performing operations on pits in the west of Sydney had been improperly handling the dangerous cancer-causing substance known as asbestos. Bags of asbestos were reportedly dumped near schools and nearby homes before Telstra and NBN Co were tipped off about the issues.

Telstra has accepted responsibility for the issues before putting an extra 200 qualified workers on to oversee the removal of asbestos. Even the Prime Minister commented on it in Question Time this week.

Coalition Senators used the asbestos scare as a rod to beat NBN Co executive Mike Quigley with during Senate Estimates this week, which is always a colourful exchange.

And sad late-breaking news this week involving the NBN: reports are emerging that a concrete contractor was crushed between two trucks and on an NBN work site in Kiama. The man was fatally injured and pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. It’s the first and hopefully last fatality involving the National Broadband Network roll-out, and our deepest sympathies go out to the contractor’s family.

Share Tagsasbestosaustralian storiesnbnwhat happened with the nbn this week? Discuss4 Comments | Reply

itroll_2s @itroll_2sMay 31, 2013 4:36 pm

"Somebody who got paid by a company to do work for the NBN did bad things without telling anyone? A POX ON THE NBN I SAY! A POX!"

Reply 0

itroll_2s @itroll_2sMay 31, 2013 4:40 pm

That said, dumping asbestos is fkn immoral as hell.

Reply 0

demondownunder @demondownunderMay 31, 2013 5:52 pm

NBNco Contracts developers and allows company's such as syntheo, etc, to manage their own personnel and or subcontracts. It is interesting that NBNco is being held accountable just because it is the public face instead of the contracted companies and or subbies that undertake the work.

It's kinda like blaming an accident on the traffic lights changing too fast, nevermind the fact you were going 200km/h in a 60 zone... nope allll the lights fault. In the same way, responsibility does not fall on telstra, NBNco or even the contracted companies, it falls on the subbies undertaking the work.

If it can be proved they knowingly did such acts, first all existing contracts with them should be annulled, recompense should be paid to all people in the surrounding area of confirmed sites out of the subbies back pocket. A government fund/investment should be set up now to account for future related cases of asbestos related poisoning and there should be a minimum sentence of 1 year jailtime for the subbies and 3 for the management that was on site.

This boils down to human negligence/lack of caring or understanding, and you cannot condemn an entire organisation for the actions of a small group of individuals. That's my take on it.

Reply 1

hypnerotomachia @hypnerotomachiaMay 31, 2013 10:52 pm

It's a bit like the Home Insulation Scheme. If you go and check the court record you will find that it was not the government's fault that someone urinated on a downlight.

Reply 0
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