WSC Australia + Mega Projects

Australia Part 1

• In 2009, Australian Gov announced fibre based internet to 93% population

• 23rd Dec 2020: declared National Broadband Network (NBN) fully operational

• Minister for comms/cyber security Paul Fletcher — 35,000 unable to connect but over 100,000 could

• 230,000 premises still cant connect at 25mbps — broadband speed

Australia Part 2

• Dominant Telco Telstra proposed to build the network and operate both as a wholesaler to rivals and a retailer (no competition)

• 2007 election australian left of center labor party got in opower due to plans to build fast national broadband — promise for FTTP

• NBN co was going to build in 09 — by 2013 (right of cent) >350k connected

• FFTP was too slow — multi tech mix FTTN (fibre to the node) — use existing cable

Australia Part 3

• critics said universal 25 mbps was inadequate, it would retard adoption of digital services like videoconferencing

• however: australia’s economy outperformed, netflix entered market

• now critics: wholesale charges make it hard for retailer profit, broadband networks expensive — eroded by 5G

• minister fletcher 23rd dec: new laws, digi platforms, take down

Canada High Speed Rail Part 1

• The average train trip between Montreal and toronto takes 5hrs and 8 minutes

• Canada is the only G7 country without high speed options (>450km/h or 250mph)

• 2 major candidates: a) windsor to quebec b) calgary to emonton

• Pros: boost tourism, reduce carbon emissions

• cons: financial commitments 6-40 billion — popular political campaign pledge kathleen wynne and allison redford

Canada high speed rails part 2

why it cannot happen:

a) logistically impossible: via rail only owns 3% of canadian railways, most are owned by freight train companies like CN Rail. If freight trains are running on the same rails as a high speed rail would not be able to reach speeds.

b) density: canadian cities tend to be less densely populated so there wouldn’t be enough demand for profitability

c) political pressure: many places would have to be passed over: adding more stops would decrease speed

Canada High Speed Rail Part 3

Initial projections: 6-12 billion

proposal: build new tracks over existing line owned by via rail and supply faster electric trains

distinguished from high speed: travel times will potentiall by slighlty improved but without the tech

Problems with Mega Projects

anything above 1 billion — 8% of the world’s GDP

a) superlatives: world’s largest, or tallest

b) scale: vulnerable to entropy: series of random events snowball, eg pakistan tarbela dam projected 7.5% inflation, project took 8 yrs longer than expected inflation jumped 380%. Black swan theory: bigger the window more birds fly in

c) recession proof: govs of countries see investment in infrastructure as a way to stimulate innovation, corporations are virtually locked, megaprojects are the only way to nudge bottom lines

d) planners: dishonest, overestimating benefits, underestimating costs

good things about mega projects

to address challenge of globalisation — competitiveness — megaprojects

tangible benefit: economic impacts on land value, business, international trade

intangible benefit: monumental and cultural icons, incorporate cultural capital — beijing modern and futuristic, or oresnd bridge between sweden and denmark iconic symbol of political economic and social