Abbott won't rip up NBN in Tasmania

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he won't rip up National Broadband
Network (NBN) infrastructure already rolled out in Tasmania.
Mr Abbott addressed the Tasmanian Liberal Party state conference in Launceston on
Saturday, in his first visit to Tasmania since the federal election.
The Liberals suffered a 4.4 per cent swing against them in Tasmania at the August
poll, which was attributed to disagreement between the federal and state arms of the
party over broadband policy.
Mr Abbott said he would not take apart the NBN infrastructure already rolled out in
the island state, but criticised it as too expensive.
"I understand that before the election there was a bit of enthusiasm for this policy
here in Tasmania," he told the conference.
"The last thing I would want to do is damage or detract from any new infrastructure
that might actually have been rolled out.
"(But) ladies and gentlemen, this looks like a gift but it is a gift that we will be
paying for again and again, our children and their children.
"It is a gift funded by debt that we must repay. It is a gift that does not give.
That is the problem with this nationalised broadband network."
Mr Abbott also praised state opposition leader Will Hodgman, saying he deserved to
be premier.
"Will, you had a remarkable state election result, a seven per cent swing to the
Liberal Party and a 12 per cent swing against the government," he said.
"There are a lot of rip-offs in politics and the greatest rip-off of recent times is
the failure for there to be a Liberal government here in Tasmania.
"There should be a Liberal government here in Tasmania."
Tasmania has a minority Labor government, after the March state election delivered a
hung parliament.



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