The Albanese Government is set to introduce legislation today that will secure the National Broadband Network (NBN) as a publicly owned asset, ensuring Australians continue to have access to fast, reliable, and affordable internet.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, reaffirming a key election promise, highlighted that the move is critical to maintaining accessible internet for all Australians, now and in the future.
“High-speed broadband is essential to modern life,” Albanese said. “It allows people to work remotely, run businesses, access telehealth, and enjoy leisure time with family through streaming services.”
The Prime Minister criticised the previous Coalition government’s handling of the NBN, accusing them of rushing its completion in order to sell it off to private interests. “Selling out Australian consumers and regional communities” is how Albanese characterised the opposition’s plans.
“The Coalition made a mess of the NBN. My Government is fixing it and making sure it stays in public hands, where it belongs,” Albanese added.
The Albanese Government has already invested $2.4 billion to expand fibre NBN access to an additional 1.5 million premises, including 660,000 in rural and regional areas. From September 2024, download speeds are set to increase by up to five times at no extra cost, with a 100 Mbps household plan rising to 500 Mbps by 2025. The government is also rolling out more fibre in the fixed-line network, upgrading fixed-wireless infrastructure, and planning for future needs.
These upgrades are already improving the daily lives of Australians, providing faster and more reliable internet access. The legislation introduced today seeks to ensure that these benefits remain accessible and affordable for generations to come.
Minister for Finance Katy Gallagher emphasised the broader economic benefits of a publicly owned NBN, noting that it is critical infrastructure that boosts national productivity.
“Economic analysis commissioned by NBN Co shows that for every one megabit per second increase in average broadband speed, Australia’s GDP rises by 0.04 per cent,” Gallagher said. By 2030, the faster, higher-quality NBN network is expected to deliver a $400 billion uplift in GDP.
Gallagher highlighted the government’s $2.4 billion investment in the October 2022-23 Budget to expand fibre access to 1.5 million premises by 2025, underscoring the importance of keeping the NBN in public hands to secure these gains.
Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland echoed the commitment to public ownership, stating that only a Labor government can be trusted to keep the NBN in public hands.
“Communities across Australia have told us the job of upgrading the NBN isn’t complete,” Rowland said. “That’s why we’re investing in more fibre and fixed-wireless upgrades.”
Rowland warned of the potential consequences of privatising the NBN, citing the sale of Telstra as an example that led to higher prices and poorer services, particularly in regional areas. She assured Australians that this legislation will deliver on the government’s election commitments, improving digital inclusion and price stability for both consumers and industry.
As the Albanese Government moves forward with this legislation, the future of Australia’s NBN looks set to remain in public hands, guaranteeing affordable, high-speed internet for all Australians.
Support Our Journalism
Global Indian Diaspora and Australia’s multicultural communities need fair, non-hyphenated, and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. The Australia Today – with exceptional reporters, columnists, and editors – is doing just that. Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, or India you can take a paid subscription by clicking Patreon and support honest and fearless journalism. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/TheAusToday
