Turnbull lobbies US Congress to pass TPP
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull overnight told business executives in the United States that he would be lobbying US Congress to pass the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership treaty during his visit to Washington DC, despite recent reports claiming that the treaty will deliver very little benefit to Australia.
NSW will force pawnbrokers to record MAC addresses
The NSW Government is set to alter legislation for secondhand dealers that will give people who have had a wifi-enabled mobile device stolen a better chance of getting it back.
Telstra says Govt policy forcing it to deploy brand new copper instead of fibre
The nation's largest telco Telstra today said regulatory decisions made by the Government were forcing it to install brand new copper in new greenfields estates, rather than the next-generation fibre-optic cables which many Australians would expect in new developments.
Labor, Greens slam Turnbull hypocrisy: PM pumps innovation but ‘trashes’ NBN
Labor and Greens politicians have this week labelled Malcolm Turnbull a hypocrite for pushing Australia's innovation credentials in the United States while simultaneously having "trashed" the National Broadband Network, as debate grows about the infrastructure's significant to the Prime Minister's innovation vision.
Govt censors NBN Co’s FTTP projection data
The Federal Government has taken steps to stop the public getting access to a key data set which details why the NBN company believes a full-Fibre to the Premises rollout would cost up to $38 billion more and take eight years longer to finalise than its currrent controversial Multi-Technology Mix plan.
Farce: Apple Australia pays extra $4m of tax on $1.8bn revenue gain
US technology juggernaut Apple has revealed it only paid an extra $4.5 million worth of corporate tax in Australia in its 2015 financial year, despite the company making an extra $1.8 billion in local revenue, taking its local taxes to a paltry sum of $85 million off record Australian revenues of $7.8 billion.
NBN critic and historic Liberal supporter Henry Ergas wins Australia Day honours
One of the most strident critics of Labor's original National Broadband Network policy and open Liberal Party supporter Henry Ergas has received one of the highest honours in this year's Australia Day awards, and will now become an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
NBN satellite engineer wins Australia Day honours
One of the key engineers who helped guide the NBN company's first satellite into orders has been awarded Australia Day Honours.
ACT Liberals call for driverless vehicle trials
The ACT Liberals have released an exposure draft of legislation which would facilitate driverless vehicle trials in the Australian Capital Territory.
Apple Australia insists it pays all its taxes
US technology juggernaut Apple has insisted that it pays all of its local taxes, despite the company having filed financial results this week that saw the company pay extra taxes of just $4.5 million last year off an extra $1.8 billion in local revenue.
Morrow hints at long-term FTTP upgrade for MTM NBN
The chief executive of the NBN company has stated in a radio interview that the National Broadband Network will eventually go to "the same place" as Labor's original Fibre to the Premises model through continual upgrades to the network over time, in a move which appears to offer long-term hope for those displeased by the Government's controversial multi-technology model.
Labor claims DHS telephone and IT systems ‘collapsing’
Labor has released a statement over what it calls a "collapse" in the standards of telecoms and IT services at Centrelink and Medicare.
Govt signs deal to clamp down on multinational tax avoidance
The federal government has agreed to share Australian information with other nations as part of a plan to combat tax avoidance by multinationals.
Turnbull’s Department seeks replacement CIO
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) is looking for a new Chief Information Officer following the departure of Radi Kovacevic to the DTO.
Telstra not forced to deploy brand new copper, says Fifield
The office of Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has issued a statement denying that regulatory decisions by the Government were forcing Telstra to install brand new copper in new greenfields estates, adding that it was up to Telstra to decide what technology it wanted to install.
Labor pledges to go after Apple for “extraordinary” tax habits
The Federal Opposition this week pledged to force tech companies like Apple and Google to pay their "fair share of tax in Australia", with Shadow Communications Minister Jason Clare describing Apple Australia's claim that it should only pay $85 million of tax on local revenues of almost $8 billion as "extraordinary".
Vic IT Minister requests inquiry into “grave allegations” of ABC NBN gag
Victoria's Innovation Minister has written to the ABC's Managing Director requesting a meeting and internal investigation regarding what he described as "grave allegations" that the broadcaster had gagged its former technology editor Nick Ross from reporting on the National Broadband Network.
Turnbull’s DTO may take over governance of the Govt’s pathetic myGov site
Those of you who run your own business and thus have had the unfortunate experience of being forced to interact with the Government's myGov website will be aware that the site is, to put it rather bluntly, something of a piece of crap.
Victoria reveals board members for startup booster LaunchVic
The Victorian Government has announced the board members of its new $60 million startup launch pad, LaunchVic, which is aimed to help accelerate startups, drive new ideas and create jobs in the state.
ABS to permanently store personal data from Australian census
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has announced that it will retain personal data collected in the 2016 census – a move that goes against the recommendation of a privacy impact assessment report that it commissioned 10 years ago.
Now Jason Clare writes to ABC over Nick Ross ‘gag’
Shadow Communications Minister Jason Clare has stated that he is "very concerned" about claims that the ABC gagged its former technology editor from reporting on the NBN, and has joined his Victorian counterpart Philip Dalidakis in demanding answers from ABC managing director Mark.
Political “untruths” poisoning the NBN, says Budde
Subjective political "untruths" have subverted the debate over the National Broadband Network policy, veteran telecommunications analyst Paul Budde said late last week, with "factual technical information" becoming polluted by false rationality.
Devil’s Advocate: Why brand new copper is great news for new estates
Rolling out brand new copper to greenfields estates will help residents in those areas get broadband quicker (or at all) and pave the way for easy future upgrades. What's not to like?
Govt releases assurance policy for migration to NBN
The government has released a Migration Assurance Policy (MAP) that sets out its plans to limit disruption during the switch-over to the National Broadband Network.
‘War’ on tax avoidance overlooks some obvious legal fixes
This article is by Antony Ting, Associate Professor, University of Sydney. It originally appeared on The Conversation.
opinion/analysis The war on tax avoidance by multinational...
“Political indecision” leaving Australia a broadband backwater: ex-NBN CTO
The NBN company's first chief technology officer this week said that the protracted disagreement between Australia's two major political parties on how to best upgrade broadband networks was leaving Australia languishing in global broadband rankings, despite several obvious ways forward.
“Get on with it”: Ludlam tells Govt on data breach notification bill
Greens Deputy Leader and Senator Scott Ludlam has filed a Senate motion demanding the Government "get on with" its plans to introduce mandatory data breach legislation, pointing out that the concept had multi-partisan support and would be likely to pass Federal Parliament in quick order.
“Buzzwords”: Ludlam slams Turnbull’s new homelessness app
Scott Ludlam, Deputy Leader for the Australian Greens, has criticised Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's introduction of an app for the homelessness over poor financing of supporting services.
Defying the Senate: NBN Co refuses to disclose brand new copper needs past 1800km
The NBN company has flatly refused to say how much brand new copper it need beyond its existing reserves of 1800km to make its Fibre to the Node broadband rollout model function correctly, in response to a question by one of the most powerful Senators overseeing its operations.
Watch: Turnbull implies he complained to ABC about “failed” NBN coverage
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull appears to have implied that he made the same complaint to ABC management that he has previously made in public before the 2013 Federal Election, stating that the broadcaster had "failed" to provide balanced coverage of the competing National Broadband Network policies.
Telstra hires Turnbull’s sacked, foulmouthed MTM policy mastermind
Those of you who've been around the traps for a while may recall the name of Stephen Ellis, a former advisor to Malcolm Turnbull
NBN says customers just as happy with FTTN or FTTP
The NBN company today stated that customers using its Fibre to the Node service were just as satisfied with their broadband service as those using Fibre to the Premises services, on the basis of the industry standard Net Promoter Score rating.
CSIRO job cuts a ‘body blow to science’, says union
The Community and Public Sector Union has strongly criticised the federal government over the "mass axing" of 350 more scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
Most Australians now support MTM NBN, claims Morrow
The chief executive of the NBN company last week said that the debate over different technologies for the National Broadband Network was effectively over, with 'most' Australians having now accepted the rationale for the Coalition's technically inferior Multi-Technology Mix model for the network.
Truth: The CSIRO is not Netflix: Science cannot be treated like a startup
Technology and science are different fields. Replacing long-term research with ‘big data initiatives’ and ‘performance metrics’ might - if we are being super optimistic - help to streamline efficiency processes, but it won’t necessarily deliver accurate results and it will rob this country of crucial data we need to make the big decisions about its future.
Analysis by ex-NBN CTO shows NBN activation rate is actually slowing
Analysis by the NBN company's first chief technology officer Gary McLaren appears to have shown that the activation rate of new NBN broadband connections is actually slowing, in a move that McLaren has speculated may be due to political reasons in an election year or merely the difficulty of dealing with copper and HFC technologies.
EFA kicks off digital rights campaign for election year
Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) has launched its digital rights campaign for 2016, which addresses issues such as privacy, censorship and net neutrality.
‘ABC did not gag Nick Ross’: MD Mark Scott tells Senate (full video)
The managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has categorically denied that the broadcaster "gagged" its former technology editor Nick Ross from reporting on the National Broadband Network, stating that it merely wanted the journalist to comply with its editorial policies in doing so.
NBN gridlock: Peak hour congestion takes down FTTN for some
Some early adopter users of the Coalition's preferred Fibre to the Node technology on the National Broadband Network are seeing their broadband service slow to a crawl during peak hour periods, leading to questions about the fitness of model for permanent use on the NBN.
TPP National Interest Analysis a ‘farce’, say Greens
The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) National Interest Analysis tabled yesterday in Parliament has been been heavily criticised by Australian Greens spokesperson for Trade, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, who labelled the document a "farce".
Sex Party’s ride-sharing bill would legalise Uber in Victoria
Australian Sex Party Leader Fiona Patten will this week present a new bill to provide a legal framework for services like Uber in Victoria.
Federal Government introduces ‘Netflix’ tax bill
The Federal Government has introduced legislation to Parliament that will force foreign providers of digital content, such as Netflix, to pay goods and services tax (GST) in Australia.
WA Govt to trial driverless electric bus
A staged trial of a driverless electric shuttle bus will take place in Western Australia later this year, according to the state government.
Labor has 60 complaints from congested FTTN users who want their ADSL back
The Opposition said this week that it has received about 60 complaints from early adopters of the Government's preferred Fibre to the Node NBN rollout model, many of whom were receiving such poor service that they would prefer to have their original ADSL broadband back.
“Hopeless, useless and a joke”: Labor MP sets Turnbull NBN policy on fire
Federal Parliament erupted into a fiery debate yesterday over Malcolm Turnbull's reshaping of the NBN project, with Labor MP Lisa Chesters stealing much of the show with a furious diatribe in which she labelled the PM's NBN plan as "incompetent, hopeless, useless and a joke".
Truth: NBN Co is trying as hard as it can to normalise FTTN
The NBN company is trying hard to pull the wool over Australians' eyes through creating the impression that Fibre to the Node and Premise are equivalent technologies. And while Australians aren't stupid, this is one company not short of resources and motivation to make its case.
Husic: Govt ‘ignoring’ concerns over equity crowdfunding bill
The Labor opposition has once again criticised the government's stance on its proposed equity crowdfunding legislation, which was introduced to Parliament in early December.
Labor MP tables anti-TPP petition with over 300,000 signatures
An anti-Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) petition with over 300,000 signatures has been has tabled before Parliament by Labor MP Melissa Parke.
Victorian Government sets up expert panel to boost innovation
The Victorian Government has set up an Innovation Expert Panel aimed to boost the state's position as an innovation and technology hub.
Devil’s Advocate: Dallas Buyers Club decision will force Turnbull’s hand on Internet piracy
The decision by Dallas Buyers Club to abandon its Internet piracy lawsuit is not the comprehensive victory many of Australia's digital rights activists and Internet pirates think it is. It merely signals that the next round of the rapidly intensifying legal and political fight over Australian copyright law has already begun.
New Nationals leadership slammed copper as “redundant” in 2005
The new federal leadership team of the Nationals unveiled late last week -- Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash -- personally criticised the use of copper for broadband services in 2005, it has emerged, telling the then-Howard Government to focus on the use of Fibre to the Premises technologies instead.
NBN blogger predicted FTTN congestion seven months ago
A prominent blogger about the National Broadband Network appears to have predicted significant congestion problems with the Coalition's preferred Fibre to the Node technology about seven months before early FTTN adopters started revealing them in the past week.
Turnbull’s Digital Transformation Office gets a new Minister
Malcolm Turnbull appears to have stripped responsibility for digital government policy from his Communications Minister Mitch Fifield and handed it to a neophye MP, in a move that appears set to give the Prime Minister's Digital Transformation Office a new overseer.
Satellite NBN a “great opportunity”, West Tasmanian MP claims
Tasmanian MP Brett Whiteley has told residents and businesses unhappy with the satellite broadband the NBN company is planning to deploy in his electorate in Western Tasmania that the infrastructure represents a "great opportunity" and they should stop pining for a Fibre to the Premise instead.
Parliament’s treaties committee chair admits he is strongly pro-TPP
The Liberal chair of the Federal Parliamentary committee overseeing treaties has given a speech strongly praising the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership, pre-empting the formal inquiry processes through which the Parliament examines treaties.
NBN calls for ‘experienced technicians’ to help with Tassie rollout
The NBN company has called for experienced telecoms technicians and workers to assist the network rollout in Tasmania during 2016 and beyond.
Australia, NZ revamp agreement to combat spam
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (NZDIA) have renewed and expanded an agreement aimed to fight unsolicited junk messages or spam.
Rethink needed on Internet piracy strategies, says Internet Australia
Internet Australia, a non-profit body representing Internet users, has called for a rethink of current strategies used to deal with piracy of online content.
Delimiter files FOI request seeking rationale for NBN sell-off
Technology media outlet Delimiter today filed a Freedom of Information request with Infrastructure Australia, seeking to determine the organisation's undisclosed rationale for its recommendation today that the Federal Government split up the NBN company into chunks and privatise the whole lot.
NBN raises possibility of multi-gigabit symmetric HFC speeds
NBN could soon roll out symmetric multi-gigabit broadband via the HFC network following developments announced by CableLabs, the US consortium that sets standards for cable technology.
Solar Movie is the content industry’s first site blocking target
As revealed by the Sydney Morning Herald and a number of other media this morning, the content industry's first target will be Solar Movie.
The Inside Track: History repeating: How the Govt will privatise NBN Co
For a long time, the question regarding the Coalition's oft-denied plans to privatise the NBN company has not been "if", but "when and how". Yesterday Infrastructure Australia for the first time gave us a solid framework for how we might start to answer these questions.
ISPs will take coordinated approach to site blocking
A number of internet service providers (ISPs) have agreed to take a coordinated response to orders requesting website blocking over copyright infringement.
Decrypt the iPhone, Brandis, eSafety Commissioner tell Apple
Attorney-General George Brandis has called for Apple to unlock an iPhone used by one of the shooters in December's San Bernadino massacre.
Govt launches San Fran ‘Landing Pad’ for tech startups
The government has launched a startup 'Landing Pad' at Rocketspace – a technology campus in San Francisco.
Federal Parliament to hold first TPP hearing today
Federal Parliament is to commence its examination of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) at a public hearing on Monday in Canberra.
NBN gridlock resolved: FTTN congestion fixed for some
Some of the early adopters of the Government's preferred Fibre to the Node NBN rollout model have now resolved their problems and are achieving the speeds they were promised on the service, following pressure on the issue from Delimiter and the Opposition.
Conroy bushwhacks Fifield with NBN transparency reform
Former Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has blindsided the Government in the Senate, successfully passing an amendment to an otherwise innocuous piece of NBN legislation that will enforce a degree of radical transparency on the NBN company.
NBN HFC trial achieves 84Mbps/33Mbps average speeds
The NBN company today revealed it had completed its HFC cable in the Queensland region of Redcliffe and was on track for a June commercial launch of the technology, with users on the trial achieving average downlaod speeds of 84Mbps and average upload speeds of 33Mbps.
Truth: Trial shows why HFC cable is unsuitable for the NBN
The results of the NBN company's first trial of HFC cable show why this technology was always a poor fit for the National Broadband Network and should be abandoned as a dead end -- as it already was by Telstra and Optus more than a decade ago.
Key commentators agree the NBN should be broken up, sold off
Several influential commentators on the National Broadband Network have publicly agreed over the past several days with Infrastructure Australia's recommendation that the NBN company should be broken up into chunks along technological lines and privatised.
Watch: TPP makes a “farce” of democracy, says Greens Senator
Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson has labelled the democratic process around the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership treaty as being a "farce", with the Government having failed to conduct a detailed public interest analysis into the treaty, and Federal Parliament blocked from modifying the agreement at all.
Watch: Conroy’s NBN transparency reform a “legislative stunt”, says Fifield
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has labelled Stephen Conroy's successful amendments to force a radical degree of transparency on the NBN company as being a "legislative stunt" from the Labor Senator he said was still serving as the defacto Shadow Communications Minister.
Consumer group ACCAN outlines telecoms priorities at Parliament House
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) held its Meet the People Forum at Parliament House in Canberra yesterday to lay out its telecoms priorities for 2016.
NBN Co estimates up to $10.5k for 300m of fibre in Newcastle CBD
The NBN company has given a Newcastle business an estimate ranging up to $9,500 to extend fibre cables 300 metres from the local streetside 'node' through existing Telstra pipes to their facility in the Newcastle CBD, as signals continue to grow that the Coalition's election estimates on fibre on demand costs were inaccurate.
Labor, Coalition vote against strong encryption in Senate
Both of Australia's major political parties have explicitly rejected a Senate motion calling on the Government to support public use of strong encryption technologies, in a move that comes in the wake of the US Government's demand that Apple provide it with a backdoor for open access to its iPhone handset.
Turnbull establishes advisory panel to boost Australian FinTech
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has established an expert advisory group aimed at making Australia the leading FinTech market in the Asia-Pacific region.
ACMA outlines management strategy for mobile broadband spectrum
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has outlined its strategy for addressing growth in mobile broadband traffic and its latest work plan in a package released yesterday.
“A whole mess of garbage”: Ludlam blasts Turnbull’s “mongrel” NBN
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has given a fiery speech to Parliament this week damning the Coalition's version of the National Broadband Network as instigated by Malcolm Turnbull, labelling it as a "whole mess of garbage" and as being held together with "gaffer tape and plastic bags".
Not today, Conroy: House of Reps rejects NBN transparency reform
The Government has used its dominance of the House of Representatives to reject amendments successfully moved by Labor Senator Stephen Conroy in the Senate which would enforce a degree of radical transparency on the NBN company.
Senate committee recommends ‘take down’ legislation over revenge porn
A new report from the Senate's Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee has recommended that government be given powers to take down 'non-consensual sharing of intimate images', otherwise known as 'revenge porn'.
EFA ‘concerned’ about Nikolic Security appointment, Senate encryption motion
Electric Frontiers Australia (EFA) has said it is "concerned" about the recent appointment of Tasmanian MP Andrew Nikolic as Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.
NBN Senate Committee will hold hearings next week … without NBN Co
The Senate Select Committee on the National Broadband Network has resolved to hold hearings in Parliament House in Canberra next Friday 4 March, but has opted to hear from a diverse range of witnesses in academia and industry, without the presence of its usual target, the NBN company.
“Cheap buy”: Budde and Ludlam believe the NBN will be sold to Telstra
Senior figures Paul Budde and Senator Scott Ludlam this week said they expected that the only company likely to buy a privatised National Broadband Network would be Telstra, as speculation continues to mount about a sale of Australia's largest ever infrastructure project before it is even finished.
Govt releases geocoded national address and boundaries datasets
The Federal Government has released PSMA Australia’s Geocoded National Address File (G-NAF) and associated Administrative Boundaries dataset to the public.
Shanghai to host latest tech startup ‘landing pad’
The Federal Government had announced that the host city for the latest startup 'landing pad' will be Shanghai, China's largest city
Litany of problems: Internal NBN doc warns of FTTN failures
The NBN company is reportedly suffering a litany of issues with respect to Malcolm Turnbull's preferred Fibre to the Node technology, with an internal document warning the company's management that its FTTN rollout has gone badly off track due to a "plethora of faults".
Turnbull’s MTM NBN plan “in crisis” says Jason Clare
The Opposition today said the Multi-Technology Mix plan which Malcolm Turnbull imposed on the National Broadband Network project was "in crisis", following revelations published over the weekend that its Fibre to the Node centrepiece was substantially behind projections and suffering a litany of issues.
Watch: Labor ‘fooling itself’ on NBN “copper” delays, claims Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull yesterday accused the Opposition of 'fooling itself' with relation to significant delays revealed in the rollout of the Prime Minister's preferred Fibre to the Node technology, in a fraught Question Time in which Labor pursued Turnbull relentlessly on the National Broadband Network issue.
Senate Committee calls NBN Co for full day of hearings
The Senate Select Committee on the National Broadband Network has resolved to hold another full day of hearings in Canberra, with the date to be 15 March and the only witness to be called being the NBN company.
Fifield refuses to accept NBN Co’s own evidence of FTTN delays
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has repeatedly refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of evidence contained in leaked internal documentation, in which the NBN company's chief network engineering explicitly states that its Fibre to the Node rollout is categorically behind target.
Senate backs Greens motion for ‘refocus’ on electric cars in SA
The Senate has backed a motion from the Australian Greens calling on the government to "refocus" South Australia's car manufacturing industry on electric vehicles.
“Desperate” Labor misrepresenting FTTP cost, says Fifield
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield this morning said an increasingly "desperate" Opposition was "misrepresenting" the cost of the NBN company deploying Labor's preferred Fibre to the Premises model, in response to new documents leaked from the NBN company this morning.
Watch: Angry Labor shouts down Fifield in Senate over NBN leaks
An outraged Opposition shouted down Mitch Fifield in Senate Question Time today over the latest set of National Broadband Network leaked documents, accusing the Communications Minister of not knowing that the Coalition's election costing on the NBN was a "lie".
‘Significant’ bidder interest for Sydney’s White Bay tech hub project
The transformation of Sydney’s iconic White Bay Power Station into a hub for tech startups has received 'significant interest' from a range of Australian and international contenders, according to the managers of the project.
Leaking NBN Co staff in “rebellion” against MTM, says Husic
The NBN company's staff is leaking internal documents because they are in a "rebellion" against the Multi-Technology Mix model which is being foisted against them, Labor MP Ed Husic said yesterday, in a fiery speech which also touched upon the lack of suitability of HFC cable for the NBN network.
Fletcher praises Turnbull’s “very competent” NBN stewardship
Government frontbencher Paul Fletcher has praised Malcolm Turnbull's stewardship of the National Broadband Network project in response to sustained criticism from the Opposition, stating yesterday that the project was on track and that Turnbull had done a "very competent" job of reforming it.
NBN supports Coalition MPs as election campaign escalates
The NBN company has taken minor steps to support two Coalition MPs this week in promoting their work bringing broadband to their local areas, in moves that call into question the company's independence in the pre-election period before the national poll expected to be held later this year.
FTTN congestion often ‘user error’, says Turnbull
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has dismissed widespread complaints from early adopters of the Government's preferred Fibre to the Node rollout model that the technology is slower than ADSL, attributing many of the issues to end users' home setups, including their computers and Wi-Fi routers.
NSW drive to cut costs opens up ride-sharing for public servants
Transport options for public servants in NSW will now include ride-sharing services, as part of the state government's push to reduce overall travel expenditure.
ABC ignores damaging NBN leaks in lengthy Fifield interview
The ABC's political flagship Insiders failed to ask Communications Minister Mitch Fifield a single question about the National Broadband Network in an extensive interview yesterday, despite several damaging leaks regarding the project which dominated parliamentary debate over the past week.
My Health Record trial criticised over opt out, privacy
The new system is already under criticism for failing to explain how or why users would opt out, enabling automatic enrolment, and glossing over the potential for user information to be accessed by non-medical government agencies.
NZ brings FTTP costs down to FTTN levels
The telco deploying New Zealand's own version of the National Broadband Network has revealed that it was able to cut the cost of deploying its Fibre to the Premises model by 29 percent in a single year in 2015 and will cut it evern further this year, bringing the overall cost down to a comparable level with rival mdoels such as Fibre to the Node.
NBN Co, Telstra help Greg Hunt out with election campaign event
The NBN company join Telstra at an election campaign event to be held by Environment Minister Greg Hunt in his electorate of Flinders in late March, Delimiter can reveal, in a move that further calls into question the NBN company's independence in the pre-election period.
Shorten promises “greater role” for FTTP in NBN if Labor wins election
Bill Shorten this week said Labor would make sure that there would be a "greater role" for Fibre to the Premises technology in the National Broadband Network if it won the upcoming Federal Election. However, the Opposition Leader also intimated Labor wouldn't be able to reverse the changes Malcolm Turnbull has made to the project.
Fifield says Shorten’s FTTP NBN promise is “flaky”, uncosted
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has labelled a pledge by Bill Shorten to bring a "greater role" for Fibre to the Premises technology in the NBN as "flaky", saying the Opposition Leader did not specify exactly what the promise would cost and what it meant.
Insight: HFC is the gap in all of Labor’s FTTP NBN promises
Bill Shorten's statements about the National Broadband Network this week show that the Opposition Leader either doesn't understand the fundamental basis of the Coalition's Multi-Technology Mix for the NBN, or that Labor is planning to retain the HFC component of the network.
Tassie Govt criticises TPG over Basslink Internet issues
The Tasmanian Government has expressed its disappointment over service interruptions for customers of TPG's Internet service provider brands following the cutting of the Basslink cable.
MyNetFone demands NBN ‘level the playing field’ for mid-sized ISPs
MyNetFone has demanded that the NBN "level the playing field" for mid-size telcos in Australia by taking several measures it said would bring healthier competition in the telecoms industry.
Govt invites feedback on $8m startup incubator initiative
The Federal Government has called for comment on a new $8m initiative aimed to boost Australia’s next generation of startups.
“Simply incorrect”: Morrow refutes most NBN leaks with evidence
The CEO of the NBN company has delivered a strong rebuttal of negative conclusions which commentators had drawn from a recent spate of leaks, providing a Senate Committee hearing this morning with evidence that the NBN was ahead of its targets on all measures and that its technology was performing well.
Success: “Skinny” fibre trial cut FTTP costs by $450, rollout time by 4 weeks
The NBN company this morning revealed that its trial of "skinny fibre" to some 4,500 homes in the Victorian towns of Ballarat and Karingal had been highly successful, cutting the cost per premise of a Fibre to the Premise rollout by $450 and the rollout time by four weeks.
Govt packs innovation and science panel with industry heavyweights
The government has strengthened the lineup of the new Innovation and Science Australia Board, adding a number of heavyweight members with a proven track record across science and industry.
Digital Rights Watch group launches to fight for “free and open Internet”
A new advocacy organisation called Digital Rights Watch has launched with the aim of protecting the rights of Australian Internet users.
NBN board, Govt blocking FTTdp despite FTTN-like cost
The NBN company yesterday revealed its board and the Federal Government were blocking a switch to a Fibre to the Distribution Point model, despite the fact that new revelations have shown the cost of the FTTdp option is coming very close to that of the technically inferior Fibre to the Node incumbent model.
Insight: FTTdp is probably Turnbull’s election NBN policy
The NBN company's secret plan to cut the cost of its Local Fibre Network and trial FTTdp gives Turnbull an election option. Packaging the two ideas together will allow the Member for Wentworth to promise to deliver an NBN that has FTTP-like speeds, while still coming close to matching the cost and rollout timing of FTTN.
NBN staff nickname for HFC upgrade is “Operation Clusterfuck”, says Conroy
According to Labor Senator Stephen Conroy, even the NBN company's own staff have their doubts about the upgrade project.
Truth: Fibre to the Node is dead
The FTTdp model proposed by the NBN company is cheap enough and fast enough for the Coalition, while having enough technical capacity and upgradability to satisfy Labor. It has the potential to bring both parties together in a relatively bipartisan view for the NBN.
New tax incentives bill aimed to promote innovation and risk taking
The Federal Government introduced a new tax bill into Parliament yesterday that is aimed to drive investment, economic growth and job creation by "encouraging innovation, risk taking and an entrepreneurial culture".
Infrastructure Australia reveals almost no specific basis for NBN privatisation push
Infrastructure Australia has revealed it did not consult more than a handful of sources or organisations when making its recommendation in mid-February that the National Broadband Network be split up into pieces and sold off to the private sector.
NBN reveals new FTTdp trials, but says FTTN not ‘dead’
The NBN company today revealed it would undertake a new set of trials in Sydney and Melbourne of the Fibre to the Distribution Point technology which some believe represents a viable path forward for ditching the company's Fibre to the Node rollout style once and for all.
Stephen Conroy plays Candy Crush on his iPad during Question Time
It is Conroy's habit to play Candy Crush on his iPad instead of doing, you know ... actual work.
StartupAUS praises Govt’s tax incentives bill
Advocacy group StartupAUS has welcomed the government’s new tax legislation that will provide incentives for investors, saying the measures are arguably the "most generous startup investor scheme in the world".
Govt open to NBN using skinny fibre, FTTdp, says Fifield
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has confirmed the Government is open to using 'skinny' fibre and Fibre to the Distribution Point models as part of the National Broadband Network, as speculation continues to mount the two technologies may form the basis of a new Coalition NBN policy to be released ahead of this year's Federal Election.
NBN changes mind again: Some HFC suburbs to get FTTN after all
The NBN company last week reportedly said it would deploy its Fibre to the Node rollout model to some areas already covered by HFC cable networks, in a move which appears to represent the second time the company has changes its policy on the issue.
Govt details FinTech support, action on GST treatment of cryptocurrencies
The Federal Government has released a statement that sets out its plans to support Australia's FinTech startups in order to boost jobs and economic growth, and includes measures to tackle the "double taxation" of digital currencies.
Govt inquiry will investigate forcing business to open data to startups
The Federal Government has announced it will ask hold an inquiry into the potential costs and benefits of opening up more data to business, as well as review the uptake of the credit reporting framework.
Google Fiber shows people don’t want FTTP, says Morrow
The chief executive of the NBN company this week reportedly said briefings with the team behind the Google Fiber project showed broadband users didn't want Fibre to the Premise infrastructure or the gigabit speeds behind it, and that the NBN company was built to make money, not as a public service.
ACCC green-lights ihail taxi booking app
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has given its approval for a new taxi app called ihail, a joint venture between taxi networks and other participants that the industry hopes will allow it to fight back against ride-sharing services like Uber.
Budde says Turnbull may announce FTTdp as NBN election policy
Veteran telco analyst Paul Budde this week said it was his view that the speed and cost advantages of the NBN's new Fibre to the Distribution Point (FTTdp) model might lead Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to announce it as the Coalition's new NBN policy ahead of this year's Federal Election.
Truth: Google Fiber shows how great a FTTP NBN could be
Labor's original version of the NBN would have delivered the broadband capability which the global technology industry agrees will be needed for the future. It would have done so in the public interest, with the aim of delivering nation-building infrastructure, and it would have done so using a unified technology platform: The best technology platform.
Labor calls on Govt to bring forward tax incentives for investors
Labor has called on the government to bring forward the start date of its tax incentives for investors over its concerns about an "investor strike" affecting Australian startups.
Australia in huge slip down global broadband rankings
Australia has taken a substantial leap down the table of countries globally with good broadband, with the nation's poor average peak connection speeds seeing it slip 14 spots in just the past six months by one measurement, and other benchmarks also slipping slightly.
Queensland will be first to get NBN HFC cable, says Fifield
Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield has announced that residents in Queensland will be the first to experience the NBN's "superfast" HFC cable broadband service when the network goes live in June.
As NBN visits, Verizon insists FTTP is “superior” to HFC
One of the US telcos visited by the NBN management this month, Verizon, has deployed a new advertising campaign with the aim of 'making it clear' to Americans that "there is a difference" between the dominant HFC cable broadband service and Verizon's own "superior" FTTP-based 'Fios' offering.
BT follows NBN with ‘skinny’ fibre trials in UK
British telco BT has reportedly followed the NBN company in Australia and conducted trials of so-called 'skinny' fibre technology that could allow the telco to substantially cut the cost of deploying fibre throughout its network.
Industry group slams mandatory data breach bill
The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) has hit out at the government's mandatory data breach bill, airing concerns over its implementation and saying it will bring an "unreasonable" burden for businesses.
Q&A panellists agree: Politicians have completely screwed up the NBN
A trio of independent technology experts on the ABC's Q and A program last night heavily criticised Australia's political sector for politicising, lying about, and ultimately destroying the all-fibre National Broadband Network they agreed the country needed to progress its innovative future.
“No debate”: Australia needs “gigabit” fibre, says Atlassian co-founder
Billionaire software mogul Mike Cannon-Brookes last night stated that there was "no debate" about Australia's need for "gigabit fiber", in comments that come in direct contrast to controversial statements made on the topic last week by the chief executive of the National Broadband Network.
Insight: Morrow is misleading us about America’s gigabit FTTP appetite
The evidence indicates that NBN chief executive Bill Morrow is likely deliberately attempting to deceive the Australian public about America's appetite for high-speed fibre broadband.
AT&T, Google launch new 1Gbps FTTP networks in US
US technology giants AT&T and Google this week launched new Fibre to the Premises networks in several US cities, with the flagship feature of the networks being their ability to offer gigabit speeds (1Gbps) to residents and businesses in the areas they cover.
‘Open letter’ galvanises marketing sector into NBN action
An 'open letter' from a senior figure in Australia's marketing and advertising sector calling for action to address the Coalition's "sub-standard" National Broadband Network has generated an instant and strong response from other high-profile industry figures.
NBN election: Labor polling voters on Coalition’s NBN performance
The Australian Labor Party has started directly calling voters to ask whether the Abbott/Turnbull Government's handling of the National Broadband Network will influence how they vote at the upcoming Federal Election, in a sign Labor sees it as a key election issue.
CASA cuts red tape for drone operators
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has announced that regulatory requirements for operators of remotely piloted aircraft, or drones, are to be relaxed later this year.
Data retention secrecy: AFP unable to disclose journo, MP metadata requests
The Australian Federal Police has refused to answer questions from a Federal Senator about whether it has recently accessed the metadata of journalists, politicians or political staffers, on the basis that doing so would be illegal under new Data Retention legislation.
New leaked docs appear to show further FTTN delays
The Coalition's controversial Multi-Technology Mix approach to the NBN has taken another body blow, with a fresh set of leaked documents from inside the NBN company reportedly showing that its Fibre to the Node rollout is comprehensively missing its targets.
Australia’s broadband ranking dive shows MTM right for NBN, says Fifield
A recent Akamai report showing that Australia has taken a deep slide downwards in global broadband rankings represents evidence that the Coalition's controversial Multi-Technology Mix approach is right for the National Broadband Network, Comms Minister Mitch Fifield said today.
ISP and content industries ask Govt to place piracy code on ice
Remember that pesky Internet piracy industry code? The one that Attorney-General George Brandis and then-Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull asked the ISP and content industries to develop, on pain of having one developed for them? Well, it appears as though the code has more or less been permanently shelved at this point.
Labor will dump FTTP NBN policy, says Fifield
Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield has hit out at Labor's stance on the NBN's underlying technology, saying the opposition party could to be preparing to abandon its position on fibre to the premises (FTTP).
NBN finally overhauls damaged CVC pricing model
The NBN company has finally overhauled its controversial 'Connectivity Virtual Circuit' (CVC) pricing model in an attempt to unlock further uptake of its infrastructure and reward retail Internet service providers who provide adequate broadband capacity to their customers.
DTO broadens consultation as GOV.AU problems bite
The Federal Government's Digital Transformation Office has broadened its consultation process around the prototype of its centralised GOV.AU platform, as concerns continue to circulate within the public sector that the model has substantial problems.
The Inside Track: New CVC model is NBN’s attempt to fix congestion issues
The new CVC pricing model announced by the NBN company this morning is at least partially an attempt to fix the peak hour congestion issues being experienced by early Fibre to the Node users. But only time will tell whether the attempt will succeed.
Wishful thinking? NBN CEO says HFC will do 30Gbps, FTTN 5Gbps
The chief executive of the NBN company this morning claimed the top-end speeds for the company's HFC cable network could be as high as 30Gbps and that its Fibre to the Node network could do 5Gbps, but without providing any evidence as to why this would be the case.
Fifield keeps pressure on Labor for ‘lack of NBN policy’
Mitch Fifeld, Minister for Communications, has once again hit out at Labor over what he called its lack of policy on the NBN and the technology that best supports it.
Labor slams Turnbull’s record on tackling multinational tax avoidance
Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh has slammed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's record on tackling multinational tax avoidance, following a massive leak of documents from a Panamanian legal firm.
Prysmian developing new cable tech for NBN
Prysmian, a manufacturer of telecommunications cables and systems, is developing new fibre optic cable that will become part of the "multi-technology mix" of the National Broadband Network, the government has announced.
Call to arms: Budde says FTTdp NBN needs our support
Independent telecommunications consultant Paul Budde has called for Australians to do more to ensure the rollout a "future-proof" NBN that includes a full-fibre network (including FTTdp) rather than the fibre and copper mix that is currently being promoted by government.
“Mongrel network”: Waleed Aly consigns Turnbull’s MTM NBN to the trash
The outspoken host of Ten TV show The Project has taken a pickaxe to the Coalition's Multi-Technology Mix approach to the NBN, consigning the model to the rubbish box in a lengthy segment which also included appearances by founding NBN chief executive Mike Quigley.
Early customers say Sky Muster NBN satellite delivers “outstanding” broadband
The new Sky Muster NBN satellite service has received positive reviews from early customers, who said performance is "outstanding", according to Activ8me, an official NBN provider.
“Extraordinary innovation” happening in copper broadband, says Nokia chief
A senior Nokia executive this week said that "extraordinary innovation" is happening in copper broadband technology, in comments that will likely boost the case for the Government's mixed technology policy on the NBN.
Home truths: Baxter points out how ridiculous NBN speed tiers truly are
One of Australia's most successful and experienced technology entrepreneurs has published an extraordinary analysis of the NBN company's technical model, highlighting the sheer stupidity of speed tiers on a fiber network which offers essentially unlimited speeds, as well as a wide range of other obvious problems.
Shorten confirms Labor will shift to a “hybrid” NBN policy
news Bill Shorten appears to have confirmed Labor will retain elements of the Coalition's controversial Multi-Technology Mix policy if it won power in the...
NBN pays Telstra $1.6bn to extend HFC cable network
The NBN company this morning announced it would pay Telstra about $1.6 billion over the next four years to upgrade and extend its HFC cable network as part of the National Broadband Network.
Truth: We’re building an NBN that only a mother could love
The reality that is becoming increasingly apparent is that the MTM – or, more specifically, its emphasis on trying to breathe life into a dog's breakfast of creaking old and unproven new technologies – is going to cost nearly as much as the original FTTP plan and do nothing at all to improve Australia's broadband to anything that can be called remotely 'world-class'.
ACCC raises competition concerns over NBN’s Telstra HFC deal
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has expressed concerns around Telstra’s involvement in the rollout of the NBN network, saying it poses a threat to competition.
Truth: The MTM NBN could have been so much better
Everyone knows that Malcolm Turnbull's Multi-Technology Mess is an absolute dog of a model for the NBN. But every dog has its day, and the truth is that even the MTM could have been implemented so much better than it has been.
Labor needs “a good explanation” to change NBN, says Morrow
The chief executive of the NBN company has made an extraordinary intervention into the pre-election national political debate over the National Broadband Network, warning Labor that it would need "a good explanation" to change the NBN model imposed by the Coalition.
Telcos still waiting on Data Retention funding, one year after bill passes
Communications Alliance, Australia's primary telecommunications industry body, has criticised delays over funding for telcos following the Federal Government’s mandatory data retention legislation a year ago.
“Fibre witch-hunt”: Budde says MTM defenders getting “desperate”
Independent telecommunications consultant Paul Budde has said that defenders of multi-technology mix (MTM) are getting "more and more desperate" in their defence of the fibre to the node (FTTN) model used for the NBN.
Australian Privacy Foundation slams “Orwellian” census data retention
The Australian Privacy Foundation (APF) has strongly criticised what it calls the "Orwellian" storage of census data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
WA FTTN launch marred as NBN leaves ‘node’ open to the elements
The official launch of the Coalition’s preferred Fibre to the Node technology in Western Australia last week appears to have suffered a minor setback, with one of the NBN company’s neighbourhood ‘nodes’ appearing to have been left with its door open, endangering the provision of broadband in its area.
Further details emerge about NBN Katoomba fatality
A raft of further details have emerged about the second National Broadband Network-related fatality to take place in the Blue Mountains town of Katoomba earlier this month, including photos of the location where the tragic accident took place, as well as some of the circumstances involved.
NSW Govt launches inquiry into driverless cars
The NSW Government's Staysafe Committee has launched an inquiry into driverless vehicles and their potential impact on road safety in the state.
NSW announces Opal app top ups, credit card “tap in” trial
The NSW Government has announced that customers using its Opal smartcard ticketing system for public transport services can now top up via its "new and improved" Opal Travel app. Also announced were 2017 trials of a scheme that would allow commuters to tap "contactless" credit and debit cards as an alternative to the Opal card.
Music industry moves to block KickassTorrents over piracy concerns
Members of Australia's music industry have teamed up to block peer-to-peer file-sharing site KickassTorrents over piracy concerns.
NBN Co urges Tasmanians to subscribe to “surging” fixed wireless service
The NBN company this week said that its fixed wireless technology was "surging" in Tasmania, bringing fast Internet to many remote rural and regional communities, yet people may not know of its availability.
Govt pays $280k to bring startup accelerator to Australia
The Federal Government has splashed out $280,000 to bring one of the world’s top startup accelerators to Australia in a bid to help local entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
Turnbull warns of growing cyber aggression
Australian public and private sector organisations and individuals are facing malicious cyber activity that is unprecedented in scale and reach, Malcolm Turnbull warns in the government’s new cyber security strategy, launched on Thursday.
Labor slams Govt over personal data breach notifications
The Labor opposition has strongly criticised the federal government over its failure to pass legislation on personal data breach notifications, saying Australians currently have no recourse if their data is hacked.
The Cyber Security Strategy is only a small step in the right direction
Our reliance on technology is now a given and cybersecurity is as important a consideration as protecting our health, food and water sources and general environment. From that perspective, the cybersecurity strategy is a welcome but very small step in the right direction.
Individuals not the priority in the Cyber Security Strategy
The Cyber Security Strategy announced today by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull clearly places a high priority on protecting Australian government systems from foreign powers. But when it comes to protecting citizens' personal information, it appears to be rather a mixed bag.
iiNet founder Malone joins NBN board as Hackett leaves
The Federal Government has appointed iiNet founder to the board of the NBN company as a non-executive director, replacing Internode founder Simon Hackett, with the change to commence immediately.
First NBN FTTN services switched on in South Australia
Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield has jointly announced that the first NBN fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) services have been switched-on in South Australia.
Turnbull opens “cutting-edge” UNSW quantum computing lab
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has officially opened a new "cutting-edge" quantum computing lab at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), airing the hope that it could ultimately lead to a commercial, "super-powerful" quantum computer.
Govt’s MyHealth Record scheme a “privacy disaster”, warns Privacy Foundation
The Australian Privacy Foundation (APF) has warned that the Federal Government’s
MyHealth Record system is a "privacy disaster waiting to happen".
“No public interest”: NBN obstructs release of board minutes
The NBN company has refused to reduce hefty Freedom of Information charges for the release of minutes of its board meetings, claiming there is “no general public interest” in the documents being released.
Turnbull NBN advisor leaves key facts out of MTM defence
An influential advisor to Malcolm Turnbull has published a spirited defence of the Coalition's controversial Multi-Technology Mix approach to the NBN, but without including key facts which show a stark difference between the MTM model and similar policies in comparable countries.
Truth: Expect a post-election Australian anti-encryption bill
The Federal Government is clearly right now engaged in the early stages of seeding the Australian public with the idea that tough new anti-encryption laws are something we need to stop terrorists.
Fixing the hole: Labor pledges FTTP for Tasmanian West Coast
The Opposition today promised to deliver Fibre to the Premises to most of the West Coast of Tasmania if it wins the upcoming Federal Election, in a move squarely aimed at resolving the complaints of residents and businesses in the area over being relegated to satellite broadband access under the Coalition.
Labor’s Tasmanian FTTP plans a “sick hoax”, says Liberal MP
Tasmanian Liberal MP Brett Whiteley has labelled an election commitment unveiled yesterday by Labor to bring Fibre to the Premises to his electorate in Tasmania's West Coast as a "sick hoax" that was "uncosted" and "unfunded".
Tasmania can pay for its own FTTP NBN, says Fifield
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield yesterday issued a statement stating the broadband situation on the West Coast of Tasmania was already being handled through the NBN company's Technology Choice policy, which allows for Australians to pay for their own NBN upgrade.
Truth: Tassie FTTP pledge raises questions about Labor’s broader NBN policy
The truth is that Labor's announcement -- as positive as it sounds -- actually raises more questions for the rest of the nation than it answers for the tiny area of Tasmania it covers.
The Inside Track: Behind the scenes of NBN Co’s Fibre on Demand program
So what's going on with the Technology Choice program? Is it still viable? Why are so few premises being connected? We'll try to present some answers to these questions in this article.
NBN Sky Muster broadband will be “world leading”, says Ovum report
Telecoms research firm Ovum has announced that the NBN Sky Muster satellite broadband service will be a "world leader" in its market.
Productivity Commission to conduct USO inquiry
The Federal Government has asked the Productivity Commission to conduct an inquiry into the telecoms industry's Universal Service Obligation (USO) that will examine the "role and relevance" of the arrangements in today's "evolving market".
Photos: NBN Co leaves FTTN ‘micronode’ completely open to public access
The rollout of the Coalition's preferred Fibre to the Node technology has suffered another setback, with the revelation that the NBN company is leaving 'micronode' infrastructure completely open to public access, in a substantial security breach.
Worst of the worst: Send us all your FTTN node photos
Right around Australia, right now, the NBN company and its contractor are deploying thousands upon thousands of brand Fibre to the Node cabinets and micronodes. But sometimes it stuffs up and places them in terrible locations. So send us all your node photos and we'll publish the "worst of the worst".
LNP, Labor, Greens agree: Govt should support video game devs
Australia's three major sides of political have achieved a rare unified agreement that the Federal Government should take a wide range of measures to directly support the growth of Australia's video gaming development industry, in a move which would dovetail with Malcolm Turnbull's innovation agenda.
Productivity Commission IP reform recommendations likely to be lost in election haze
The Commission’s recommendations as a whole are thus very unlikely to be embraced by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, by his colleagues or by Bill Shorten. The Commission states that “Australia’s intellectual property system has lost sight of users”. We should ensure that the Government does not lose sight of the report.
How high-speed wireless compares to cable in boosting our internet speeds
What’s needed is bipartisan commitment to accelerating NBN deployment along with modernising the infrastructure in the core network that will have to support increased access to broadband.
Geoblocking content must end, demands Choice
Consumer advocacy group Choice has backed recommendations by the Productivity Commission to make copyright more consumer friendly and called for an end to geoblocking of Internet content.
Australia not on Internet piracy watchlist, says Internet Australia
Advocacy group Internet Australia has said that despite the "huffing and puffing" from Australia-based representatives of overseas content rights holders, Australia is not on the US Government’s official content piracy watchlist.
Libraries, education sector, tech giants welcome proposed copyright reforms
The Australian Digital Alliance (ADA) has issued a statement welcoming the Productivity Commission’s "sensible and much needed" proposals for changes to Australia’s copyright law.
Budget 2016: NBN Co is running out of money
The Federal Government has revealed that it has put together a special taskforce to determine how to fund its modified rollout of the National Broadband Network, with the project's costs ballooning and the public purse running dry of funds to support it.
Budget 2016: Tech giants in trouble as tax avoidance ramps up
Companies such as Apple, Google and Microsoft who have been transferring billions of dollars of Australian revenue offshore are set to come under renewed attack from the Federal Government, with a raft of anti-avoidance measures announced in this year's Federal Budget.
Budget 2016: Major Police IT projects win funding
Commonwealth law enforcement agencies such as the Australian Federal Police and Crimtrac have won big in this year's Federal Budget in terms of their IT infrastructure programs, with the Government greenlighting a series of major initiatives.
Budget 2016: The Govt is kind of obsessed with FinTech
The Government has continued its ongoing focus on boosting Australia's growing financial technology (FinTech) sector in this year's Federal Budget, announcing a range of initiatives to bolster the area.
Budget 2016: Govt finally provides funding for OAIC
The Government today revealed it had decided to abandon its approach of dismantling the Office of the Information Commissioner and would provide total funding of $37 million over four years to retain its Freedom of Information and privacy functions, although it will pull a sizable chunk of funding from the Australian Human Rights Commission to do so.
Budget 2016: Major Child Care, Veterans’ IT reform projects approved
The Federal Government has approved several hundred million dollars' worth of funding to reform key IT platforms in the Department of Human Services and Veterans' Affairs, in moves that will unlock substantial IT transformation packages of work.
Budget 2016: Govt establishes joint taskforce to fix myGov
The Government has established a joint taskforce to remediate its troubled myGov digital identity and verification platform, bringing in experts from a number of government departments and throwing $50.5 million at the project.
Truth: Turnbull’s MTM decision is coming home to roost … financially
This is the unfortunate logical consequence of abandoning a model which had provided well-defined certainty and benefits for all concerned.
Budget 2016: StartupAUS says it’s a “disappointment”
StartupAUS, an advocacy group, has cautiously welcomed some announcements made in the Federal Government’s 2016 Budget, but said that overall it was a "disappointment for startups".
Budget 2016: NEC to deploy CrimTrac’s new biometrics platform
NEC Australia has been awarded the contract to deliver CrimTrac’s "next generation" biometrics crime-fighting tool, the Government has announced.
Senate passes tax breaks measures for startups
The Senate has passed two new initiatives that are aimed to boost investment in Australian startups.
Budget 2016: Australian Computer Society welcomes digital Budget
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) has welcomed Tuesday's Federal Budget announcement, saying it delivers "good news for jobs and skills in the digital sector".
Govt doesn’t yet know how to fix NBN funding blackhole
The Federal Government this morning was forced to admit it did not yet know how the NBN company would fund the remainder of its rollout and operations through to 2020, with public sector funding drying up and an unclear situation with relation to the NBN company's ability to borrow money privately.
Telstra, NBN offshoring copper support to India
The NBN company and its partner Telstra appear to be offshoring support for Telstra's ageing copper network to India, with consultants in that country to be responsible for ensuring that broadband users can receive acceptable services over the copper that facilitates the Fibre to the Node model.
Budget 2016: Shorten promises Australia a “first-rate Fibre NBN”
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten this evening promised Labor would deliver Australians a "first-rate Fibre National Broadband Network" if his party wins the upcoming Federal Election, but stopped short of confirming that that network would consist of a full Fibre to the Premises rollout.
NSW Govt launches 10 year eHealth strategy
The New South Wales Government has launched a 10-year eHealth strategy, saying it will bring "smart, safe, sustainable and digitally-enabled care" to patients.
MyNetFone says Budget missed chance to fix NBN pricing mess
MNF Group, the Australian provider of hosted voice and data communications services and parent company of MyNetFone, has said it is "disappointed" that Tuesday's Federal Budget did not write off some of the costs of building the NBN network.
Privacy Foundation questions Govt’s e-health record motives
The Australian Privacy Foundation (APF) has said it is "concerned" about the Government's eHealth plans for patients' information.
NBN to hold HFC launch days before Election
The NBN company has revealed plans to hold a product launch just days before the upcoming Federal Election, in a move which has the potential to be interpreted as a breach of the Caretaker Conventions that govern the pre-election behaviour of public sector organisations.
The Inside Track: The Coalition is strongly hinting it won’t support a FTTdp NBN
Fifield and Turnbull are clearly aware that Labor is likely to announce a FTTdp-based NBN policy in the near future. What we are very likely seeing here is the advance start of an effort by the Coalition to lay the groundwork for a strategy of disparaging a FTTdp-based NBN policy issued by Labor.
It’s time to future-proof Australia’s copyright laws for the 21st century
The proposed reforms will enhance consumer rights, competition policy, access to knowledge and Australia’s ambitious National Innovation and Science Agenda and “ideas boom”.
FTTP NBN would cost $8.5bn more, claim ‘leaked’ Govt docs
A switch back to an all-fibre National Broadband Network would reportedly cost the Federal Government an extra $8.5 billion and potentially cause a wider Federal Budget black hole, according to a new set of documents which appear to have been leaked to the media late last week.
NBN cost blow-outs Turnbull’s fault, says Labor
The Opposition has turned allegations of cost blowouts in the National Broadband Network project back on the Government, stating that the project's continually falling financial return problem should be laid at Malcolm Turnbull's door for his controversial Multi-Technology Mix.
NBN Co suspends Tasmanian satellite rollout amid political brawl
The NBN company has called a halt to its controversial plans to deploy satellite access to a number of towns on the west coast of Tasmania until the various sides of politics resolve what the company sees as a funding black hole for the region.
Accenture to develop Ipswich smart city strategy
The Ipswitch City Council has selected IT integrator and consultancy Accenture to progress what it has dubbed its 'Smart City' Transformation Strategy and Implementation Plan, as the Queensland City seeks to take the next step in its own development.
More accessible content won’t stop piracy, says content industry
Creative Content Australia – a film and TV industry advocacy group – has aired concerns over a new draft report from the Productivity Commission that suggests making content more accessible will reduce online piracy.
Parties should stop “squabbling” over NBN, says Internet Australia
Internet Australia, the peak body representing Internet users, has repeated its call for the National Broadband Network to be removed from the political debate.
Australia not ready for driverless cars, says National Transport Commission
The National Transport Commission has released a discussion paper that cites a number of barriers to increased vehicle automation and concludes that Australia is not yet ready for driverless cars.
NBN a “key election issue”, Labor policy coming soon, says Shorten
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has labelled the National Broadband Network a "key issue" for this year's Federal Election, stating that Labor would launch its new NBN policy "in coming weeks" to tackle what he said was mismanagement of the project by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
“$40bn waste”: Coalition kicks off NBN smear campaign
The Coalition appears to have kicked off a campaign designed to discredit Labor's management of the National Broadband Network project, with at least one Liberal MP relying on party-supplied material to claim that "$40 billion was wasted" during its early days.
Research suggests site blocking effective against piracy
New research based on data from the UK has suggested that site blocking is effective against online piracy of digital content.
The Australian newspaper launches election attack on Labor’s NBN
Murdoch-owned newspaper The Australian has published a pre-emptive article strongly attacking Labor's new National Broadband Network policy, but without including any new information and despite the fact that the policy itself has yet to be released.
Victorian Govt outlines new IT strategy
The Victorian Government has launched a new four-year strategy aimed to harness new digital technologies to "deliver modern services for the community".
Get your face onto NBN Co’s second satellite
To raise awareness of the launch of NBN Co’s second satellite, Sky Muster II, the company has announced it will give Australians the chance to "blast their face into space".
“Fantasy fibre”: Coalition explicitly rejects NBN FTTdp model
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has broken cover to openly slam a Fibre to the Distribution Point (FTTdp) model for the National Broadband Network, in the first explicit sign that the Coalition will not substantially modify its NBN model for the Federal Election.
‘No gigabit speed demand’: The Australian continues NBN election attack
Murdoch-owned newspaper The Australian has published another pre-emptive article attacking Labor's unreleased National Broadband Network policy, this time focusing around what the outlet intimated was a complete lack of demand for high-speed 1Gbps broadband services in Australia.
Major tech firms, Australian startups back new innovation organisation TechSydney
A group of local startups and global tech giants, including Atlassian, Airbnb and LinkedIn, have offered support for a new not-for-profit organisation that aims to "turn Sydney into Australia’s Silicon Valley".
Vodafone urges voters to appeal for more mobile black spot funding
In a new campaign, Vodafone is calling on voters in regional seats to use social media to raise the "urgent need" for more funding for mobile black spots with their federal representatives and candidates ahead of the coming 2 July election.
“Incredible” interest in NBN election issue, says Plibersek
Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek this week said she had seen "incredible" interest in the National Broadband Network issue as she travelled around Australia on the election campaign trail, delivering Labor's message that Malcolm Turnbull had "dropped the ball" on the project.
“Great news”: Fifield launches FTTN near Ballarat
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has announced the launch of Fibre to the Node services this week in regional Victoria, describing the move as "great news" for local residents.
Govt to fund innovation policy research through StartupAUS
The Federal Government has announced that it will fund research on entrepreneurship and innovation by not-for-profit organisation StartupAUS.
Greens announce policy to boost electric car uptake
The Australian Greens have launched a plan to encourage the rollout of electric vehicles and move away from "old dirty power sources".
“Spectacularly incompetent”: Govt slams Labor NBN funding model
Senior Government Minister Paul Fletcher has taken a pickaxe to Labor's previous funding model for the National Broadband Network, describing it as "spectacularly incompetent", despite the fact that the Coalition itself admitted during the recent Budget that it had its own NBN funding black hole.
NBN leaks: AFP raids Conroy’s office, Labor staffers’ houses
Australian Federal Police officers have raided the Melbourne office of former Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and the houses of two Labor staffers seeking to ascertain the identity of whistleblowers who have leaked a series of key documents from within the NBN company.
Greens announce solar battery funding plan for Sunshine Coast
The Australian Greens have announced a plan aimed to assist solar-powered households on Queensland's Sunshine Coast with the costs of installing battery storage, and encourage a shift towards "clean energy".
Delimiter named in AFP search warrant for NBN leaks
Delimiter has reportedly been named in a search warrant issued by the Australian Federal Police authorising raids on a number of premises to seek documents related to a spate of damaging leaks which have come from within the NBN company over the past year.
“No influence”: AFP denies NBN raids politically motivated
The Australian Federal Police today said there had been zero political influence on the seven month investigation into damaging leaks from the NBN company which yesterday culminated in raids on Labor Party offices, with the Government itself only being told about the investigation yesterday.
Angry Shorten says public has a “right to know” the NBN truth
An angry Bill Shorten has blasted Malcolm Turnbull for what he said was the Prime Minister's attempts to stop the public from knowing the "truth" about the National Broadband Network, which the Opposition Leader said had become a "national disgrace" under Turnbull's watch.
NBN raids an “attack on press freedom”, says media union
Australia's peak media union has described last night's Australian Federal Police raids as an "attack on press freedom", stating that the action by the NBN company and law enforcement represented a "disturbing new twist in pursuit of whistleblowers and legitimate public interest journalism".
NBN raids paint us as “Asian democratic backwater”, says Assange
The Australian Federal Police's NBN raids last night on Labor MPs and their staffers must not be tolerated and make Australia look like it has become an "Asian democratic backwater", WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said in a statement this afternoon.
Fifield knew about AFP NBN investigation from the start
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield today admitted he was told about the Australian Federal Police investigation launched in December into leaks from the NBN company, in a admission which directly contradicts a statement by the AFP Commissioner yesterday that the Government did not know of the investigation.
They served the public interest
I have one message to the NBN whistleblowers: You're not alone. We're with you. I, many Delimiter readers, many of your fellow NBN employees (past and present) and many Australians in general, are with you. Because you have honour. You have integrity. In a time of great darkness, you stood up for what was right and good. So remember this, and stay strong. Hold your head up high.
Turnbull tried to kick Conroy off NBN Committee, says Palmer
Clive Palmer claimed over the weekend that in 2014, Malcolm Turnbull tried to use the Palmer United Party's votes in the Senate to get former Communications Minister Stephen Conroy removed from the Senate Select Committee into the NBN, replacing it with a joint committee.
IPA publishes anti-Labor NBN attack riddled with grievous errors
Free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs has published an article strongly attacking Labor's NBN project as "the worst conceived infrastructure project in Federal history", but has included a number of popular misconceptions and outright errors regarding the project in its article.
Defence kicks off SAP-based ‘largest’ ERP project in Australia’s public sector
The Department of Defence has officially kicked off what it describes as the "largest ERP program implementation of its kind in Australian Government", in a SAP-based initiative that will see several thousand business applications consolidated down sharply.
Pirate Party announces election candidates
The Pirate Party has announced its candidates for the 2016 Federal Election, following a pre-selection process.
Labor staffer could be jailed merely for receiving NBN docs
The Australian Federal Police has alleged there are reasonable grounds to suspect the Opposition broke the Official Secrets provisions of the Crimes Act, with a penalty of up to two years' jail, for merely receiving internal documents belonging to the NBN company.
Fact check: Pyne misleads Q&A audience on key NBN facts
Industry, Innovation and Science Minister Christopher Pyne appears to have inadvertently misled the ABC's Q&A program about key facts regarding the National Broadband Network project, repeating a set of common misconceptions about the initiative on air last night.
“Hypocrisy”: AFR launches bizarre attack on Labor over NBN raids
Conservative newspaper The Australian Financial Review has launched an extraordinary election attack on Labor over police raids of Labor premises, slamming the Opposition for what the AFR claimed was an irresponsible NBN policy based on the idea that "people would think fast internet was cool".
Coalition makes $60m election promise to fix mobile blackspots
The Coalition Government has announced that it will invest an additional $60 million in the Mobile Black Spot Programme if it is returned to power in July's federal election.
NT Govt commits $186m to e-health record system
The Northern Territory has announced plans to spend $186 million on a jurisdiction-wide, integrated electronic health record system.
NBN reaches 1 million customer milestone
The Government has announced that the National Broadband Network (NBN) has now passed the 1 million customer mark.
Herald Sun columnist McCrann gets key facts wrong in NBN attack
Herald Sun columnist Terry McCrann has published an article praising Malcolm Turnbull's stewardship of the NBN project as his "greatest and unqualified achievement in Government", but has based his argument on a number of inaccurate statements regarding the project.
Labor raises “glaring omissions” in mobile blackspot funding
The Labor opposition has said that, while it supports the Government's pledge to add a further $60 million to the Mobile Black Spot Programme if reelected, allocation of funding across Australia is missing out areas that need it most.
Union slams Telstra health records deal
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has criticised the Coalition Government for its decision to put a private company in charge of the management of confidential and highly sensitive health records for thousands of Australians.
NBN leakers are ‘thieves’, not whistleblowers, says Ziggy
NBN chair Ziggy Switkowski has made an extraordinary intervention into the Federal Election campaign, defending the NBN company's record under the Coalition and claiming insiders who have leaked senstive information of being politically motivated thieves and not whistleblowers.
Labor files formal complaint alleging NBN breach of Caretaker Conventions
The Opposition has reported filed a formal complaint with the Secretary of Malcolm Turnbull's Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet over what it said was a "clear breach" by the NBN company of the Caretaker Conventions which require it to remain impartial during the election period.
Mike Quigley to join NBN election debate
The founding chief executive of the NBN company, Mike Quigley will publicly discuss the history of the National Broadband Network as well as the various options for its future, in a major speech to be held just over a week before this year's Federal Election on 2 July.
Election FactCheck Q&A: has the NBN been delayed?
Christopher Pyne’s assertion that there have been “no delays” in the implementation of the NBN is inaccurate.
Paying a high price for embarrassing the government
This article is by Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne. It originally appeared on The Conversation....
Telstra Health will hold Australians’ cancer details, so we need to ensure their privacy...
Clearly, the cancer screening registry contract is only the first of the potential outsourcing of health programs. It creates a precedent that needs to be right.
NBN Co’s MTM choices “prudent and efficient”, finds Analysys Mason
Analyst firm Analysys Mason has found in a detailed report commissioned by the NBN company that the NBN company's initial design for its Fibre to the Node, Basement and HFC cable networks is "prudent and efficient".
Labor to take NBN beyond the node, but ignores HFC
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten today said Labor wasn't satisfied with the Coalition's Fibre to the Node technology for the National Broadband Network, but stopped short of commenting on Labor's plans for the up to a third of the NBN that will be covered by HFC cable technology.
Coalition pledges to expand startup incubator support
The Coalition Government has pledged to invest an extra $15 million into boosting Australia’s startup scene if it is re-elected in July.
Labor accuses Coalition of copying policy on startup accelerators
The Labor Opposition has hit out at the Coalition Government, accusing it of "mimicking" its own policies on startup assistance.
StartupAUS says Turnbull’s funding pledge welcome but “modest”
Not-for-profit advocacy group StartupAUS has said that, while the Coalition Government's pledge to provide a further $15 million for the startup sector is good news, the funding would be "far from sufficient".
NBN launches first FTTN connections in Victoria
The NBN's first fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) services have launched in Victoria, bringing upgraded internet services to thousands more homes and businesses in the state.
ACT Govt launches review into civil surveillance
The ACT government has announced a review of the use and conduct of civil surveillance in the territory that could lead to Australia’s first law to allow victims to sue over privacy intrusions.
Pyne’s comments on fast Internet “just wrong”, says SAGE-AU
IT professionals advocacy group SAGE-AU has criticised recent comments by Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Christopher Pyne that suggested Australians do not need fast Internet.
NBN statement not Coalition’s final NBN policy
The Coalition has confirmed that a statement issued late last week does not constitute its final National Broadband Network policy for the Federal Election, hosing down speculation that it was the last it would have to say on the matter ahead of the Election in July.
Comms Minister skips Internet Australia meeting in home town
Internet Australia, the peak body representing Internet users, has expressed its disappointment that Communications Minister Mitch Fifield "missed an opportunity" to meet with his local digital and ICT community last week.
FTTN still causing massive outages in Newcastle, says Labor
The Coalition's Fibre to the Node technology is still causing substantial problems for the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Labor said today, with issues such as speeds slower than ADSL and substantial outages, even for residents who are not yet connected to the NBN.
Election: Pirate Party vows to “fight tirelessly” for a free Internet
Pirate Party Australia has announced that digital rights will be central to its 2016 Federal Election campaign and that it will to "fight tirelessly" for a free Internet.
Will Australia’s digital divide – fast for the city, slow in the country –...
As the Productivity Commission grapples with the question of what the USO should look like in 2016 it will really need to consider what it should look like in a decade or two. This question will challenge the Commission’s rationalist economic predilections.
Fact check: Joyce perpetuates false NBN myths on Q&A
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce appears to have perpetuated a number of common misconceptions about the National Broadband Network in his appearance this week on the ABC's Q&A program, including its cost, demand for high-speed broadband and its time to be deployed.
Photos: Nodes Behaving Badly (when FTTN placement goes wrong)
Today, Delimiter is proud to present a photo gallery entitled Nodes Behaving Badly, in which we highlight some of the worst Fibre to the Node infrastructure placement that Australia has to offer.
Photos: NBN Co builds node on flooded riverbank
The NBN company has deployed a Fibre to the Node cabinet on the banks of the Tamar River in Tasmania, Delimiter can reveal, ignoring advice from local residents that the infrastructure would be sure to be breached by water during periods of excess rain.
ATO finally ditches e-tax system for MyTax portal
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has announced that its legacy online tax return service e-tax is being retired, with the MyTax portal to take its place going forward.
Digital Rights Watch calls for fair use, end of Internet censorship
Advocacy group Digital Rights Watch has called for the introduction of fair use legislation and the cessation of Internet censorship as the Productivity Commission prepares to undertake a 12-month public inquiry into Australia’s intellectual property system.
New policy: Labor would dump FTTN for FTTP, keep HFC
The Opposition today released a new National Broadband Network policy for the Federal Election, with Labor committing to dumping the Coalition's Fibre to the Node plans and supporting Fibre to the Premises instead, but keeping the other HFC cable, satellite and wireless aspects of the current plan.
Truth: Labor’s new NBN plan is pitch perfect
Labor's new NBN vision is a comprehensive, well-thought out policy with no downsides, based solidly on comprehensive research and supported by a huge amount of detail.
Yes, Labor still wants to upgrade HFC to FTTP
Labor still has an interest in upgrading the NBN company's HFC cable networks to full Fibre to the Premises technology, Delimiter can confirm, with this issue to be considered as part of the Infrastructure Review outlined as part of Labor's new NBN policy today.
Fifield attacks Labor NBN “deceit” in record short press conference
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield this afternoon attacked what he said was the "deceit" inherent in Labor's new National Broadband Network policy, in a brief press conference in Melbourne which appeared to last less than ten minutes.
Coalition dumps satellite for FTTN NBN for Tasmania’s west coast
In a change from its previous commitment, the Coalition Government has announced that it will abandon the satellite broadband rollout on the west coast of Tasmania and instead deploy fibre to the node (FTTN) via the NBN.
Greens make innovation key policy of election campaign
The Australian Greens party has announced it will make innovation a key policy of their campaign in the upcoming Federal Election, aiming to "reverse the government’s anti-innovative and climate-destroying policies".
How do Labor and the Coalition differ on NBN policy?
The NBN has been a key issue in the past two elections, so will Labor’s new policy be a vote winner? The policy to move back to FTTP provides a clear differentiation from the Coalition’s FTTN-centric strategy.
Devil’s Advocate: The gaping holes in Labor’s new NBN policy
Labor's new National Broadband Network policy appears to be a pitch perfect plan for Australia's future broadband needs. But what if it's not?