Prime Minister Albanese announces a massive investment to complete the NBN’s fibre rollout as election rhetoric intensifies

As Australia heads towards an election year, the federal government has revealed a significant $3 billion investment to fully upgrade the National Broadband Network (NBN). Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement today in Canberra, stressing that the funding would enable fibre connections to the remaining 622,000 premises still relying on outdated copper lines.

In his address, Albanese highlighted the crucial role the NBN plays in the modern economy and society, underscoring its impact on productivity, education, telehealth services, and job creation. “The NBN is about productivity, driving the economy, creating jobs,” Albanese stated. He also emphasised the government’s commitment to keeping the network in public hands, which has become a point of contention between the major parties.

“The NBN is absolutely critical to the way that a modern economy and a modern society function,” the Prime Minister added. “That is why we want to not only complete the rollout of fibre-based NBN but importantly as well, we want to keep it in public hands.” The network’s upgrade is slated to be completed by the end of 2030.

Albanese also took the opportunity to criticise the opposition, accusing them of attempting to privatise the network. “Last year in the House of Representatives, we had a vote in parliament to keep the NBN in public hands, and Peter Dutton and the Coalition opposed the vote,” he pointed out. He warned that the upcoming Senate vote would provide a clear choice for voters: support keeping the NBN in public ownership, or risk the network being sold off to private interests.

The announcement comes amid a heated political atmosphere, with both sides trading barbs ahead of the election. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has criticised the government’s response to antisemitic attacks and rising crime rates, especially regarding the deportation of non-citizens involved in criminal activities. Dutton also pledged $7.5 million for Crime Stoppers as part of his response to the growing concern over crime in the country.

Dutton accused Albanese of being soft on crime, claiming that the failure to deport criminals was contributing to the rise in criminal activity. “Those people are not being kicked out by the current government, and as a result, we are seeing an increase in crime across the country,” Dutton said. Albanese swiftly dismissed the criticism, accusing Dutton of being “negative about absolutely everything” and maintaining that his government had been proactive in addressing these issues.

As both sides dig in for the upcoming election battle, the $3 billion NBN investment and the ongoing debate over its future have become key talking points in the contest for votes. With tensions rising, voters will have to decide who they trust to handle the country’s digital infrastructure and security issues in the years ahead.