On Turnbull’s infrastructure record

Laurie Patton, Executive Director, Internet Australia writes:  Re. “Turnbull’s infrastructure plans built on shaky ground, but escape proper scrutiny” (Wednesday) With talk of a Snowy Hydro 2 it’s worth noting that while Menzies vehemently opposed the original Snowy scheme in opposition he quickly embraced it when he became prime minister. Such a shame the Coalition didn’t do the same with the NBN, which is by far the largest infrastructure project of our time. Customer complaints doubled in the last year, and they are bound to keep increasing as more premises are connected via ageing copper wires. It would be great to see the current PM accept, as Menzies did, that when your opponents get something right it makes no sense tearing it down in the name of political expediency. It’s not too late Mr Turnbull. 

Joe Boswell writes: Re. “Turnbull’s infrastructure plans built on shaky ground, but escape proper scrutiny” (Wednesday)

Bernard Keane described the Commonwealth as “MIA on infrastructure for several years now”. Missing in action suggests the Commonwealth went into action but we have lost track of it – perhaps it’s killed or captured, perhaps fighting still, but we don’t know. Really? If a militaristic metaphor is going to be deployed here, AWOL seems much better — the rather less honourable status of absent without leave. To be fair to Keane, he is far from being alone in misusing MIA to indicate someone is not doing their job.