Over the next four years, the Government will progressively inject equity into NBN Co totalling $18.2 billion to help finance the roll out of the NBN, in line with NBN Co’s Corporate Plan.

 

These are instalments towards the Government’s $27.5 billion equity commitment, starting at $3.1 billion in 2011–12,  increasing to $6.6 billion in 2013-14,  and $4.1 billion in 2014-15.  An initial payment of $4.7 billion was made in the 2010-11 budget.

 

The Budget indicates that the government plans to release $300 million of Aussie Infrastructure Bonds to institutional and wholesale investors over the next financial year to partly finance the project.

 

Other Budget outlays totalling $34.4 million over five years from 2010–11 are:

  • 23.4 million to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy to: provide information to consumers and small businesses about the National Broadband Network rollout and support them in the migration from the copper network to the fibre network; provide technical and policy advice to Government on the implementation of the project National Broadband Network policy objectives; and establish an entity to take responsibility for the delivery of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) and legislative scheme for the changes to the USO arrangement;
  • $5.6 million over four years to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to monitor competition outcomes arising from the structural change delivered by the National Broadband Network;
  • $7.2 million over four years to the ACMA to develop and monitor implementation of appropriate network standards and codes to facilitate the rollout; and
  • $1.2 million to the Department of Finance and Deregulation for ongoing shareholder governance and policy advice to the Government on the NBN Co;