News from Malcolm Turnbull

Dear Neville,

The Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, released this week, revealed the fragility of Labor’s assertion that it will deliver a (wafer thin) budget surplus. 

In the area of broadband and communications, the Government is cutting money out of telehealth programs so it can find $20 million to promote the NBN ahead of the next election.  No doubt some of that advertising will focus on those very eHealth programs from which it has cut funding.

Stripped of the hype and ceremony Labor lavishes on the NBN Co, the reality is that the project is floundering.  Since 2009 the Government has injected $2.8 billion into the project and the NBN Co has recorded losses of $923 million (as of June).  For all that, they have still only connected around 6,400 customers to its fibre network – barely three per cent of the target the NBN Co set for itself in 2010.

I recently launched www.fasterbroadband.com.au, an online survey that will measure your internet speeds at home.  We will use that information to do what the NBN Co has not been able to do: We will prioritise areas which currently have poor broadband and help deliver these upgrades sooner, cheaper for taxpayers and more affordably for consumers.

And in the last month I have given many speeches and interviews on subjects ranging from the NBN and communications, free speech and social media, gay marriage, the Olympics and Thucydides and one of my finest teachers.

It is time competent management returned to Government in Canberra.

Coalition Broadband Survey

The Coalition has launched a nationwide broadband survey which allows every Australian to see for themselves the speed of their existing fixed line and mobile broadband services.

If you haven’t already done so, I would encourage everyone to complete the survey (and forward it on to friends and family!).  It is online at: www.fasterbroadband.com.au

The survey will provide important information to the Coalition about the speed of existing broadband in Australian cities, suburbs, towns and regions so that we can target those areas which have the worst broadband today. 

We want every Australian to have faster broadband sooner and more affordably.

Sydney By-Election

On Saturday, there will be a by-election for the State seat of Sydney.  The Liberal Party’s candidate is Shayne Mallard, who has been a Sydney City and South Sydney councillor for more than 12 years and has long experience in small business.

Shayne knows the challenges faced in the inner-city — especially the need to cut traffic congestion and improve public transport services in our neighbourhoods.  He has already made an impact ensuring that tough new rules have been introduced to reduce alcohol fuelled violence at Kings Cross and new transport services to ensure visitors can get home in the early hours on Saturday and Sunday.

During the campaign, Shayne has secured funding to upgrade the Paddington gates at Centennial Park and will continue to ensure the State Liberal Government and the Premier Barry O’Farrell pay close attention to the inner city.

This is a unique opportunity to put a strong voice for the local community into the NSW Government, where it will be heard.  So I would encourage you to visit Shayne’s website here — and more importantly, vote ‘1’ Liberal on Saturday.

Bali Memorial

On October 12, I attended a memorial service at Dolphin Point in Coogee to commemorate the lives and the tragic loss of the 202 people who were killed in the Bali Bombings.

The memorial sculpture at Coogee is a reminder of the importance of community in times of hardship.  The three bronze figures are leaning into and supporting each other, just as the victims and their community – both on the night of the tragedy and since – have been supporting each other.  The memorial service was again a great celebration of love’s triumph over hatred.

Wentworth Families Take on Type-1 Diabetes

I recently met  Zoe Moyes, Matt Antulov and Marley McCallum to hear their stories about living with Type-1 diabetes. They are campaigning to raise awareness of Type-1 diabetes and to garner support in Canberra for a Clinical Trial Network, which would cost the Government $35 million (At the previous federal election, the Coalition pledged the $35 million and the network would be up and running had we been elected). 

Seven-year-old Zoe is raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to help find a cure for Type-1 diabetes — she has already raised more than $2,000 which is an incredible effort!  I would encourage every one to go to her site by clicking here and give even a small amount to the cause.

Rose Bay Marina Rejected

After thousands of people voiced their overwhelming opposition to a proposed extension to Rose Bay Marina in our online survey, the Joint Regional Planning Panel voted against the development application.

The panel stated: “The principal reason for refusal is that the additional arm would increase the cumulative view impact adversely. It may be that a restriction on the height of vessels proposed by the Sydney Harbour Association and accepted by the applicant would allow a view of Manly over the top of boats; however, the view of the foreground, just as important in the Panel’s opinion, would be further obscured.”

On this occasion at least the views of the local community have been heard and recognised.

Other Recent Speeches and Writings

At the annual Alfred Deakin Lecture at Melbourne University I outlined the Coalition’s vision for extending freedom of speech and privacy in the age of digital communications and reflected on how the power of social media was demonstrated in the Alan Jones affair.

I addressed Parliament on the Marriage Amendment Bill, and also spoke in Parliament on the importance of the surf life saving community and its contribution to the egalitarianism of the Australian character. On the same sporting theme I noted the Olympic efforts of Wentworth athletes and the success of the London Olympics themselves.

On a more academic note, I paid a tribute to my old classics teacher John Sheldon in an address to the NSW Classics Association, where I explored great power relations in the Peloponnesian War.  And returning to more contemporary power plays, I also addressed the China Business Forum in Sydney on Chinese investment in Australia.

Lucy Turnbull delivered the annual Walter Burley Griffin lecture at the National Gallery of Australia, outlining a vision for making our cities more sustainable and better places to live.

And remembering the NBN and communications policy I gave a speech to the annual CommsDay Summit in Melbourne on how to reform the NBN and I addressed the National Radio Conference on the need for less burdensome regulation of new media platforms.

I also wrote about the recent decision to spend $20 million on NBN advertising despite taking money out of telehealth programs and I corrected recent comments made by former ACCC Chairman Graeme Samuel, who is unaware of recent advances made in fibre-to-the-node technology.

Podcasts and Video

I had a conversation with ABC’s Lyndal Curtis and Labor’s Mark Butler on why our trust in experts is declining.

Following Frank Lowy’s excellent speech to the Australian Muticultural Council, I spoke with Adam Spencer about the ‘great unwritten deal’ that migrants to this country sign on to by contributing to our culture and economy.

Leigh Sales probed me on 7.30 on the Coalition’s plans to deliver broadband faster and more affordably and I spoke with Ben Fordham on 2GB about our broadband survey.  I also spoke with 2GB’s Luke Grant about the exorbitant bonuses paid out to NBN Co executives despite the project being many months behind schedule.

I also spoke with author (and Deputy Principal of Cranbrook) Michael Parker about the upcoming Woollahra Festival.

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Yours sincerely,

Malcolm Turnbull