MEDIA RELEASE
THE HON SHAYNE NEUMANN MP, FEDERAL MEMBER FOR BLAIR
The Albanese Labor Government will provide up to 30,000 Australian families with no internet at home free broadband for one year, as part of our plan for a better National Broadband Network (NBN).
The School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) will provide the opportunity for eligible school students to benefit from fast internet at home to support their education. More than 1,000 Australian families have already benefitted from home broadband connections set up under the initiative.
Those working closest with families and students, including State and Territory education bodies, selected charities and community organisations will identify families and support them to access the free service.
NBN Co is implementing this targeted affordability initiative with the support of a $4.5 million Federal Government commitment in the October 2022 Federal Budget.
The one year of free services begins from the day the service is activated.
The SSBI is part of the Albanese Government’s commitment to narrow the digital divide, including by making full-fibre NBN access available to an additional 1.5 million premises – 660,000 of which will be in regional areas – and working to support First Nations Australians’ digital inclusion through the formation of the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group.
Already the SSBI is delivering results locally, with three families in the Ipswich region having been granted free internet for a year thanks to the program.
This includes the Schroeder family from Ipswich, who have a number of children attending Redbank Plains State School, which referred them to the service.
Recently, Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann met with the family to present them with their SSBI voucher.
For more information on the SSBI, visit www.infrastructure.gov.au/ssbi
Mr Neumann said the Albanese Labor Government was committed to narrowing the digital divide, including in our classrooms.
“The Government’s School Student Broadband Initiative will provide up to 30,000 families and their children a free home broadband connection so they can reach their full potential.
“While many students can access the internet through school Wi-Fi, connecting to the internet at home to support remote learning and homework can be expensive for some families. This initiative will relieve some of the barriers to students fully participating in online education.
“I’m confident it will deliver real outcomes for so many families, like it has for the Schroeder family, and give them the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
“The pandemic showed how important it is for students to be connected at home so they don’t fall behind.
“I’m proud to belong to a government that takes digital inclusion so seriously.
“Any families in Ipswich, the Somerset Region and Karana Downs area interested in the SSBI should contact my office on (07) 3201 5300 or Shayne.Neumann.MP@aph.gov.au so we can connect them to the program,” Mr Neumann said.
