Part of the blame for the underinvestment by Telecom, and under0-reaction by the NZ Government has to go on the National Party’s Maurice Williamson:
A rare written question from National Party communications spokesman Maurice Williamson to Communications Minister David Cunliffe in May… …asked Mr Cunliffe how New Zealand’s {broadband} ranking compared with its position in 2000
The written question was one of only a handful levelled at Mr Cunliffe by Mr Williamson since he took back National’s communications portfolio in August 2004. Since the last election he has made no media statements on IT or communications policy, maintaining a low profile that led Mr Cunliffe to dub him “the invisible man”.
This is not what we expect from the loyal opposition. Why the heck were National not all over this one - pounding the table in reaction to the pent up demand from a frustrated New Zealand?
Why?
“Why?”
I think the answer lies in the political structures and influences in NZ. You could equally ask why it has taken so long to bring Mssrs Fay and Richwhite to book…
The invisible man is definitely seen as yesterdays man by the industry.
JK is a smart guy and it’s puzzling that National has been so quiet through the whole debate this year. The only scenario that makes sense is that there was a deal that left MW intact in the last leadership change.
Nuts really when there are new guys like Craig Foss who actually get the internet, blog and have RSS feeds!
http://craigfossmp.blogspot.com/
Where is MW’s web presence?