NBN policy information

NBN Co and industry regulatory arrangement reviews

The Australian Government plans to give all Australians access to high-speed broadband. Reviews of NBN Co have suggested how it could be done better and the appropriate regulatory framework to promote competition.

The Australian Government commissioned the Vertigan review (led by Dr Michael Vertigan AC) which provided three separate reports in 2014.

The Australian Government's response to the Vertigan review was released in December 2014.

The Australian Government examined the NBN Co project as a whole via a strategic review of NBN Co and investigated the state of broadband availability and quality across the country to help guide the NBN Co rollout.

The Australian Government also examined the public policy processes that led to the NBN Co project commencing.

Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network (JSCNBN)

The Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network (JSCNBN) was established in September 2016 to inquire into, and report on, the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN). The JSCNBN conducted inquiries into the business case for the NBN and the rollout of the NBN in rural and regional areas.

The Committee tabled its first report on 29 September 2017:
The rollout of the National Broadband Network

The Australian Government tabled its response on 16 January 2018:
Government Response: the Rollout of the National Broadband Network

The Committee tabled its second report on 19 November 2018:
Report into the NBN rollout in rural and regional areas.

The Australian Government tabled its response on 19 February 2019:
Government Response: the NBN rollout in rural and regional areas

No double up—the adequately served policy

Some parts of Australia already have fibre networks with high-speed broadband services. The Minister granted some of these networks 'adequately served' status.

The Australian Government has decided that NBN Co should not build another fibre network over the top of any existing adequately served networks in residential areas. The only exception will be if it's too expensive or too hard to go around or past an existing network rather than just build over it.

There are 45 networks in residential estates that the Minister has granted adequately served status. The four carriers supplying these areas agreed to be the 'infrastructure provider of last resort': they must offer a connection to all premises in the nominated network areas on either a wholesale or retail basis. Households can still choose their own retail service provider. Providers can no longer apply for adequately served status.

Government Policy Project Notice

NBN Co's Special Access Undertaking (SAU) with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is a key part of the regulatory framework governing the terms on which retail service providers access wholesale services supplied by NBN Co over the NBN.

On 17 October 2023, the ACCC gave notice that it had accepted a proposal from NBN Co to vary the SAU. The varied SAU established a new mechanism known as a Government Policy Project Notice (Project Notice).

The below Explanatory Note sets out an explanation of the process and approach that would be taken by the Communications Minister to issuing, and consulting on, a Project Notice for the purposes of the SAU.

Funding for consumer engagement activities

The Australian Government is providing grant funding of up to $2.5 million to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network to carry out consumer engagement activities to support NBN Co's regulated SAU.

The grant is separate and additional to the funding available through the telecommunications consumer representation grants.

Contact

Communications Infrastructure Division
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
GPO Box 594 Canberra ACT 2601
or contact us through our online form