Something smells a bit funny to me with this story of the entire board of NBN Co resigning. While there is no doubt that they have resigned, the mechanics of the situation don’t completely add up.
| All But One NBN Co Board Member Hand In Resignations |
“Chairwoman Siobhan McKenna tendered her resignation along with other board members, but at this stage the Government has not accepted them.”
| Malcolm Turnbull Asked NBN Co Board Members To Resign |
“Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed that he asked members of the NBN Co board, the government-owned company responsible for operating Australia’s broadband network, to resign last week.”
If the media reports are to be believed – (and granted, that’s an assumption) – the new government asked the board to resign, but the new government has not yet accepted the resignations?
Who insists on someone resigning, and then refuses to accept the resignation?
That’s like ordering the bottle of Bollinger, getting the waiter to open it, and then refusing to have a drink.
Or “thanks for that everyone, I have your signed resignations, but I’m going to sit here with a gun to your head and not accept them”.
Of course, there is every chance that one or both of the media reports are wrong, but it is curious that until today, Turnbull’s office has refused to comment on the matter, when it is apparent the machinations have been underway since at least last week.
This doesn’t gel with Turnbull’s promise to be transparent and open with the NBN project.
It’s curious that all this should happen, just when Telstra announces it has begun an FTTN trial, practically straight after the new government was sworn in, and on the back of Turnbull’s apparent backing of former Telstra boss Ziggy Switkowski to take over at NBN Co.
It has been speculated for some time that Turnbull was already talking to Telstra, long before the election.
It all feels just a little bit too convenient and coincidental to me. The planets are aligning a little too easily.
Something is afoot here.