how can this be positive?

Instead of the original NBN which was always going to be surpassed by TLS both in timing, and performance, TLS now has a government sponsored far superior network being built.

This severely devalues TLS assets - while there was a need to have copper line connection in an ADSL world these assets were worth something substantial. Now in the future all households will have fibre and instead of a copper connection we will all be using VOIP.

Richard Alston had it right all those years ago.

The govenment(s) have effectively cashed in the copper networks while they were worth something , and will use that money to build a new up to date network.

We can all yadda on about how now Telstra is able to partcipate now, but it will be on the governments terms that they participate in their own slow grinding demise.

The elephant in the room now is the fact that Telstra's assets will have to be subject to impairment charges which will flow onto its ability to raise funds