The blame game over the national broadband network shows no sign of abating as the Turnbull government dismissed criticism from the man who launched the multi-billion project eight years ago.
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd insists any concerns about the cost of the NBN rollout across the country and consumer anger about connections and promised internet speeds are down to the coalition, not Labor.
The plan he initiated in 2009 was "perfectly designed" for Australia's needs, with fibre optic cables going to directly to homes, shops, schools and hospitals.
The coalition, after it came to government, changed the "horse in midstream" by using fibre-to-the-node connections, Mr Rudd said.
Treasurer Scott Morrison was having none of that, telling ABC radio on Tuesday: "Kevin's dreaming, he always was."
"He basically fantasises about what his thing was going to do and more importantly how much it was going to cost," he said.
The government is on the backfoot after NBN Co revealed about a quarter of the three million consumers who have signed up to fast broadband are unhappy with their service.
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield argued Australia is attempting a world-first by establishing a continent-wide network.
"It does absolutely have its challenges but our job is not to look in the rear-view mirror," he told the Nine Network.
Senator Fifield defended NBN's use of different technologies that Labor claims is creating a digital divide.
"It is what is done in the United States. It is what is done in Europe," he said.
