Budget 2008

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SUMMARY

Highlights:

• $4.7 billion NBN funding rolled into $20b infrastructure fund called Building Australia Fund. Now $10.4 million in funding for NBN process
• $271 million extension of Australian Broadband Guarantee over four years
• $126 million for online safety
• $1.5 billion over five years to digitalise schools including $100 million for fibre connections
• Older and disabled Australians to get a top-up to help with internet connections
• Extended depreciation times on business software spend

Papers:

Portfolio Budget Statements : Communications   Education

Budget Papers: Communications   Education 

Ministerial Media Releases: Communications    Education 

Opposition Media Releases: Media Release

Key Telecommunication Measures:

National Broadband Network
Additional funding, now totalling $10.4 million, has been allocated to manage the competitive process and monitor the roll-out.

Australian Broadband Guarantee funding until 2012
The Australian Broadband Guarantee program will be extended with additional funding in the 2008–09 Budgets which will bring the total program funding up to $270.7 million over four years.  Media Release

Internet Safety
The Rudd Government has committed $125.8 million over the next four years to establish the Cyber-safety Plan. This includes a range of cyber-safety measures, including law enforcement, filtering and awareness.  Media Release

Fibre to Schools
The Rudd Government has allocated $1.2 billion over five years to roll out the Digital Education Revolution to ensure students are equipped for life and work in a digital world. Including a $100 million commitment to deploy fibre connections to Australian schools, delivering broadband speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. Media Release