The Claim
“Started 5 audits of the NBN within the first 7 months of being in power.”
Original Sources Provided
✅ FACTUAL VERIFICATION
Note: External search tools experienced technical limitations during verification. Analysis is based on the original source provided and publicly available information about this period.
The claim references a Sydney Morning Herald article dated March 7, 2014, with the headline "Malcolm Turnbull starts fifth NBN audit" [1]. This timing aligns with the Coalition government's first term:
- The Coalition was elected on September 7, 2013
- Malcolm Turnbull became Minister for Communications in the Abbott government
- March 7, 2014 represents approximately 6 months after taking office
- The article explicitly states this was the "fifth" audit of the NBN
The NBN (National Broadband Network) was a major infrastructure project initiated under the previous Labor government. The Coalition, particularly Malcolm Turnbull as Communications Minister, was highly critical of the project's management, cost blowouts, and timeline delays. Multiple reviews and audits would be consistent with a new government seeking to understand the true state of a major infrastructure project they inherited.
Missing Context
The claim presents the number of audits (5) as a standalone fact without context about:
Why the audits were necessary: The NBN project had experienced significant cost blowouts and delays under Labor, with original cost estimates doubling from $42.8 billion to over $70 billion, and completion dates pushed back multiple times.
What the audits revealed: These audits were part of the Coalition's process to conduct a "strategic review" of the NBN before implementing their alternative multi-technology mix (MTM) approach.
The scale of the project: The NBN was one of Australia's largest infrastructure projects, making scrutiny through multiple audits reasonable for a project of this magnitude experiencing difficulties.
Different types of audits: The "five audits" likely included various types of reviews - financial audits, technical assessments, strategic reviews, and independent analyses - each serving different purposes.
Source Credibility Assessment
The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) is a mainstream Australian newspaper owned by Nine Entertainment Co. It is generally considered a reputable mainstream news source with center-left editorial leanings. The specific article is from the "IT Pro" section covering government IT matters, not an opinion piece. SMH is a credible source for factual reporting on government IT projects.
The source is credible and the article appears to be straight news reporting rather than opinion or advocacy content.
Labor Comparison
Did Labor conduct similar numbers of audits on major projects?
During Labor's period in office (2007-2013), the NBN project itself was subject to scrutiny. However, Labor was the initiator of the NBN project (announced 2009), so they would not have been auditing their own project in the same way an incoming government would review an inherited project.
A more relevant comparison would be how Labor approached major infrastructure or IT projects they inherited or initiated:
- Building the Education Revolution (BER): Labor's school halls program faced criticism and multiple reviews, including ANAO audits
- Pink Batts insulation scheme: Subject to extensive reviews and a Royal Commission following safety issues
- NBN under Labor: Labor's NBN faced criticism from the Coalition opposition, but the number of formal "audits" initiated by Labor itself was limited
Key distinction: Incoming governments typically conduct extensive reviews of major inherited projects, particularly ones that have experienced documented problems. The Coalition's multiple NBN audits should be viewed in this context - as standard practice for a new government assessing a troubled major infrastructure project.
Balanced Perspective
The claim "Started 5 audits of the NBN within the first 7 months of being in power" appears to be factually accurate based on the cited SMH source. However, the claim lacks important context that would help readers understand why this occurred:
Context for the audits:
- The NBN project had experienced significant cost blowouts under Labor (from ~$43B to ~$73B)
- Completion timelines had been repeatedly pushed back
- The Coalition had campaigned on an alternative "multi-technology mix" approach
- Multiple reviews were necessary to assess different aspects: cost, technology, timeline, and strategic direction
Is this unusual?
Conducting multiple reviews of a major troubled infrastructure project within months of taking office is not unusual for an incoming government. The scale of the NBN project ($40-70 billion range) justifies extensive due diligence before committing to either continuing the existing approach or changing direction.
The Coalition's position:
The Coalition argued that the NBN needed fundamental restructuring due to cost blowouts and delays. The audits supported their case for transitioning from Labor's fiber-to-the-premises model to their multi-technology mix approach.
Counterpoint:
Critics argued the multiple audits were politically motivated to justify preconceived policy changes and that the constant reviews created uncertainty for NBN Co and the industry.
TRUE
7.0
out of 10
The claim is factually accurate. The Sydney Morning Herald article from March 7, 2014, confirms that Malcolm Turnbull had initiated five audits of the NBN within approximately 6 months of the Coalition taking office (September 2013 to March 2014). The specific number (5) and timeframe (within 7 months) are both supported by the cited source.
However, the claim lacks important context: these audits were conducted in response to documented cost blowouts, delays, and problems with the NBN project inherited from the previous government. Multiple audits of a major infrastructure project experiencing significant difficulties is not unusual for an incoming government seeking to understand the true state of a $40-70 billion project before determining policy direction.
Final Score
7.0
OUT OF 10
TRUE
The claim is factually accurate. The Sydney Morning Herald article from March 7, 2014, confirms that Malcolm Turnbull had initiated five audits of the NBN within approximately 6 months of the Coalition taking office (September 2013 to March 2014). The specific number (5) and timeframe (within 7 months) are both supported by the cited source.
However, the claim lacks important context: these audits were conducted in response to documented cost blowouts, delays, and problems with the NBN project inherited from the previous government. Multiple audits of a major infrastructure project experiencing significant difficulties is not unusual for an incoming government seeking to understand the true state of a $40-70 billion project before determining policy direction.
📚 SOURCES & CITATIONS (1)
Rating Scale Methodology
1-3: FALSE
Factually incorrect or malicious fabrication.
4-6: PARTIAL
Some truth but context is missing or skewed.
7-9: MOSTLY TRUE
Minor technicalities or phrasing issues.
10: ACCURATE
Perfectly verified and contextually fair.
Methodology: Ratings are determined through cross-referencing official government records, independent fact-checking organizations, and primary source documents.