Committee slams 'confusing' broadband plan
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Six bids have been submitted to build the fibre-to-the-node network. (ABC News: Giulio Saggin, file photo)
An Opposition-dominated Senate committee has criticised the Federal Government's handling of the tender process for a national broadband network.
The committee found the Government's decision not to outline the regulatory conditions for the upgraded network left bidders confused and uncertain.
The Government has received six bids for its project to roll out a fibre-to-the-node network to give 98 per cent of Australians access to high-speed broadband.
An expert panel is currently assessing these bids.
Government members of the committee repudiated the findings, saying the previous Government left the network in a poor state.
They also says the tender was kept broad to attract innovative bids.
ACT telecommunications company TransACT has put in a bid for the tender, along with Optus and Telstra.
Earlier, rival contenders for the national broadband network had said the Government should not consider Telstra's proposal as it stands because it had not submitted a full bid.
Telstra submitted a proposal, but said it would not submit a full bid, as required by the Government, because there were still substantial issues which needed to be addressed.
But the Government says Telstra's offering will be considered along with the other bids.
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