Labour is continuing to express its opposition to the passing of the Telecommunications (TSO, broadband and other matters) Amendment Bill by National last week.
The bill paves the way for Telecom to start rolling out Ultra-Fast Broandband (UFB), provided the company splits from its network arm, Chorus.
However, Clare Curran, the Labour Party's ICT spokesperson, says the bill has been rushed through, and gives Telecom 'a free pass to overcharge' through the next decade.
"Telecom's history of monopolistic behaviour will not change when it is broken up under the structural separation," Curran says, "especially now that the minister has guaranteed that any costs incurred by the Commerce Commission regulation will be incurred by the taxpayer.
"The upshot will once again be higher charges and poorer service for customers, as Telecom is allowed to rule the roost.
The bill becomes law on July 1.
