By chief political correspondent Emma Griffiths
Video: Turnbull moves to put Coalition's stamp on NBN Co (ABC News)
Photo: A strategic review will be conducted into the NBN. (Reuters)
An NBN Co commitment to begin connecting around 900,000 premises to high-speed internet access within a year has been put on hold by the Federal Government, pending a strategic review of the network.
Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Finance Minister Matthias Cormann - as the shareholder ministers in NBN Co - have issued an interim statement of expectations to the company as a first step in putting the Coalition's stamp on the rollout.
Mr Turnbull says the basic direction is to deliver an NBN "sooner, more affordably for consumers and at less cost to taxpayers".
"In the short-term, the interim statement will see the NBN Co meet its contractual obligations by continuing to roll out fibre to the premises while the company conducts the strategic review of the project." he said.
The Minister has also revealed that NBN Co is proposing to revise down its rollout target for June 30 next year "by almost half" from forecasts made just four months ago.
But, he says, connecting 66,000 premises passed by the fibre network but unable to connect will be the "key priority".
"This includes the majority of apartments, schools and businesses in areas where the fibre network has been rolled out," Mr Turnbull said.
Construction is also set to go ahead in close to another million premises where contracts have either been signed or detailed design work is underway.
However, the future of another 900,000 premises where "only preliminary design work is underway" is now in question.
"Decisions about actual construction in these areas will be taken after the reviews into the NBN rollout are completed," Mr Turnbull said.
Federal Cabinet will shortly consider a submission for both a strategic review, to be conducted by the NBN Co, and a cost-benefit analysis into the project.
"We expect this period of review will lead to revisions to the timing of the rollout and to updated forecasts," Mr Turnbull said.
"It's important to bear in mind however that the NBN rollout has to date repeatedly missed its targets.
"It is our goal, following the completion of the review and a new corporate plan, to see the NBN Co set realistic rollout targets and then consistently deliver on them."
Turnbull wants less politics, more facts
Mr Turnbull, who was dubbed "Mr Broadband" by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, says he wants the NBN Co to be far more transparent and the issue of a broadband network to be a lot less political.
He says he wants the review to deliver the "plain, unvarnished facts".
"I'm not interested in being given information that people may think will conform to my particular political agenda, whatever they may think that to be," he said.
"We want sensible, prudent, conservative estimates - not numbers, forecasts that look good at a press conference and fall away a few months later when it's realised they can't be reached.
"There's got to be a lot less politics in this project and a lot more hard-headed, practical business management.
"I mean I know I'm a politician, but my commitment is to make this project as non-political as possible."
The Minister says the in-house review will take 60 days and begin when a new management team at NBN Co is appointed.
Call to resign 'not a criticism'
Mr Turnbull confirmed he asked the company's seven board directors to resign last week, and all but one have done so.
"That request should not be regarded as any criticism of any of the directors," he said.
"The reason for that was simply to give the Government complete flexibility in remaking the board in light of its new policy agenda.
"Decisions about the board will be taken by the Cabinet in due course."
Mr Turnbull would not name any names of potential replacements.
Former Telstra boss Ziggy Switkowski has been mentioned as a possible contender.
