While we're arguing about whether or not the latest cash injection into the NBN is a backflip or a step forwards, the federal government is injecting money into a broken employment model.
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The government's latest announcement of throwing another $3.5 billion into the NBN does nothing to address the real problems plaguing the network.
The NBN's construction operates off what is effectively a pyramid contracting scheme with its fangs in taxpayer's pockets. With such a shonky sham contracting model, it's no surprise we've ended up with a shonky network.
The NBN contracts work to its "delivery partners" who then sub-contract that work to their "principle contractors" who then either subcontract it again, or hire low paid, underskilled workers to complete a job they haven't been properly trained to perform.
It's not the workers' fault that they're not being offered the training, pay or hours sufficient to get the job done.
Nor is it the customer's fault for being furious about delayed, failed and shonky installations.
It's become so bad that everyday people are avoiding switching to the NBN altogether, over fear that they'll be in the same boat - stuck with an inferior connection, or none at all.
It's a pretty dire situation when, in many cases, legacy internet infrastructure is better than the new, which is billions of dollars over budget as it is.
At each stage of the way, the delivery partners get to wipe their hands clean of the mess they've made for customers, all the while pocketing cash and looking the other way.
It's a system that is clearly failing customers, workers and taxpayers. The only winners are these middlemen who sit back and rake in the profit with no accountability.
We need to stop investing in the problem and start investing in the solution, by throwing away the shonky pyramid contracting scheme model and replacing it with a direct employment system.
The NBN would benefit from following in the footsteps of operators like Telstra - which is reducing its reliance on external delivery partners (sub-contractors) to get the job done.
In the context of a national recession, why should the federal government be propping up subcontracting delivery partners, instead of directly engaging skilled Australian employees and boosting jobs.
Instead of bunkering down and throwing our money into a flawed system, the government needs to step up and rethink the model altogether.
It's time for us to finally get the NBN right.
Shane Murphy is the CEPU Communications Union national president.
