Simon Hackett posted a talk he gave at a theatre production on the day before he went to go work for the NBN and this paragraph stood out for me:
I’m doing that because I’m conceited enough to believe that twenty years of skills that I’ve learned in the past can be applied in the future to try to produce more social equity and thats something that I happen to care about. This very abstract notion of hooking us all on the Internet is something I’m deeply involved with, obviously.
NBNCo’s decision to use a “multi-technology mix” has been derided lately and Simon has been caught up in that derision – but I don’t think it’s as warranted as the vitriol towards him suggests (look at his Twitter replies back when it was announced) – Simon loves the Internet, it’s not a bullshit PR marketing speak like “ohhh we love the Internet! (because it happens to be the business we’re in)” but this bloke genuinely absolutely adores the Internet as if it was his own child. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.