2023-24 Federal Budget released

Major initiatives unveiled for infrastructure and communications

The Australian Government has outlined a series of measures to help keep Australians connected, safe and informed, including:

  • $200 million for the Thriving Suburbs Program, investing in urban and suburban community infrastructure
  • $200 million to fund major project business cases
  • $150 million for urban precincts and partnerships investment
  • $43.6 million for the new National Road Safety Action Grants Program
  • Deliver an additional $132.1 million over four years to the eSafety Commissioner to improve safety online, quadrupling its base operational funding from $10.3 million to $42.5 million per year
  • $1.1 billion for the ABC and $334.9 million for SBS with five-year funding terms locked in
  • Provide $10.9 million to support the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to establish an SMS sender ID Registry to help prevent scammers from spoofing key industry or government brand names
  • Strengthen Australia’s ability to help save lives during natural disasters and emergencies by rolling out a cell broadcast National Messaging System and establishing a Taskforce to progress a Public Safety Mobile Broadband (PSMB) capability
  • Extend funding to continue the Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) service across regional and remote Australia for an additional seven years to 2030-31.
  • Provide $5 million to support the Australian Associated Press (AAP) newswire service while the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP) is developed, and
  • $2.5 million to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts to partner with the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) to support media literacy in CALD communities.

These measures form part of the broader investment in the department’s portfolio, with funding also being delivered to Australia’s cultural sector.

For more information on the 2023-24 Federal Budget visit budget.gov.au.

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