The NBN Futures Forum: Towards a National Broadband Strategy for Australia, 2020-2030

Abstract

On 24 November 2020, TelSoc hosted the fifth NBN Futures Forum, held online, to launch the first major report, Towards a National Broadband Strategy for Australia, from the NBN Futures Group. The report, which summarized nearly two years of deliberations by the NBN Futures Group, contained 13 conclusions that were presented and discussed at the Forum. These conclusions supported the view that broadband is an essential service for Australia’s digital economy and society and that Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) is central to broadband provision. They promoted the concept of an overarching National Broadband Strategy to achieve social, economic and governmental goals. In addition to the main speech presenting the report’s conclusions, there were written statements from the Minister and Shadow Minister, supplementary remarks from two members of the NBN Futures Group, commentary from three panellists on consumer, policy and governmental perspectives, and general discussion. This paper summarizes the full content of the Forum.