NBN: Labor to introduce laws to keep network in public hands

The National Broadband Network would remain in public hands under laws Labor will use to bait the Coalition into an election fight on privatisation.

The Government will introduce legislation on Wednesday that would prevent the NBN from falling into private ownership, expanding a promise it took to the 2022 election.

If the Opposition doesn’t support the laws, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is poised to take the policy to the next ballot, setting up another campaign fight over privatisation of public assets.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland claimed the Coalition couldn’t be trusted not to “flog off” the network just as Telstra was privatised under then Liberal Prime Minister John Howard.

“This Bill will ensure the NBN continues to deliver for all Australians – improving digital inclusion and price certainty for industry and consumers,” Ms Rowland said.

“It is only a Labor Government that will ensure the NBN remains in public hands.”

Conceived under the Rudd Government, the network has been the subject of heated political debate and budget blowouts, with the cost ballooning beyond $50 billion.

Labor went to the last election vowing to keep the NBN in public hands but did not pledge legislation to guarantee it.

The NBN network – which is run as a Government Business Enterprise – is connected to more than 8.6 million homes and businesses nationwide.

The Federal Government has invested $2.4 billion to extend full fibre NBN access to an additional 1.5 premises, including 660,000 in rural and regional communities.

It is also promising to boost download speeds by up to five times from September next year – at no extra wholesale cost.

“All Australians deserve high quality and affordable services no matter their postcode. That includes access to the NBN,” Mr Albanese said.

“Keeping the NBN in public hands means high-speed broadband remains affordable for Australian families and businesses around the country.”