National Broadband Network

National Broadband Network


Select Committee on National Broadband Network

1 January 2010 to 17 June 2010

Method of appointment

Pursuant to resolution agreed to by the Senate on 25 June 2008.


Current members        


Date of appointment

Senator the Hon Ian Macdonald (QLD, LP)

(elected Chair on 04.02.10)

26.06.08

Senator Fiona Nash (NSW, NATS)

(elected Deputy Chair on 25.09.08)

26.06.08

Senator Simon Birmingham (SA, LP)

(Deputy Chair 26.06.08–25.09.08)

26.06.08

Senator Mary Jo Fisher (SA, LP)

(Chair 26.06.08–04.02.10)

26.06.08

Senator Scott Ludlam (WA, AG)

10.02.09

Senator Kate Lundy (ACT, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Glenn Sterle (WA, ALP)

01.07.08


Participating members


Date of appointment

Senator the Hon Eric Abetz (TAS, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Judith Adams (WA, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Chris Back (WA, LP)

12.03.09

Senator Guy Barnett (TAS, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Cory Bernardi (SA, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Catryna Bilyk (TAS, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Mark Bishop (WA, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon Ronald Boswell (QLD, NATS)

26.06.08

Senator Sue Boyce (QLD, LP)

26.06.08

Senator the Hon George Brandis (QLD, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Carol Brown (TAS, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator David Bushby (TAS, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Doug Cameron (NSW, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Michaelia Cash (WA, LP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck (TAS, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Jacinta Collins (VIC, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon Helen Coonan (NSW, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Mathias Cormann (WA, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Trish Crossin (NT, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Alan Eggleston (WA, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Don Farrell (SA, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator David Feeney (VIC, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon Alan Ferguson (SA, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Steve Fielding (VIC, FFP)

26.08.08

Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Mitch Fifield (VIC, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Michael Forshaw (NSW, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Mark Furner (QLD, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon Bill Heffernan (NSW, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Gary Humphries (ACT, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Annette Hurley (SA, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Steve Hutchins (NSW, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon David Johnston (WA, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Barnaby Joyce (QLD, NATS)

26.06.08

Senator Helen Kroger (VIC, LP)

01.07.08

Senator Gavin Marshall (VIC, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon Brett Mason (QLD, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Anne McEwen (SA, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Julian McGauran (VIC, LP)

26.06.08

Senator the Hon Jan McLucas (QLD, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon Nicholas Minchin (SA, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Claire Moore (QLD, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Kerry O'Brien (TAS, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Stephen Parry (TAS, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Marise Payne (NSW, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Helen Polley (TAS, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Louise Pratt (WA, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon Michael Ronaldson (VIC, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Scott Ryan (VIC, LP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion (NT, CLP)

26.06.08

Senator the Hon Ursula Stephens (NSW, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator the Hon Judith Troeth (VIC, LP)

26.06.08

Senator Russell Trood (QLD, LP)

26.06.08

Senator John Williams (NSW, NATS)

01.07.08

Senator Dana Wortley (SA, ALP)

01.07.08

Senator Nick Xenophon (SA, IND)

01.07.08


Former participating members


Term of appointment

Senator Mark Arbib (NSW, ALP)

01.07.08–10.03.09

Senator the Hon Christopher Ellison (WA, LP)

26.06.08–30.01.09

Senator John Hogg (QLD, ALP)

01.07.08–26.08.08

Senator Scott Ludlam (WA, AG)

01.07.08–10.02.09

Inquiries

As at 1 January 2010

1)     (a)     The Government’s decision to establish a company to build and       operate a National Broadband Network (NBN) to:

i)         connect 90 per cent of all Australian homes, schools and workplaces with optical fibre to the premise (FTTP) to enable broadband services with speeds of 100 megabits per second;

ii)        connect all other premises in Australia with next generation wireless and satellite technologies to deliver broadband speeds of 12 megabits per second or more;

iii)       directly support up to 25,000 local jobs every year, on average, over the eight year life of the project.

                   (b)    The implications of the NBN for consumers and taxpayers in terms of:

i)         service availability, choice and costs,

ii)        competition in telecommunications and broadband
                        services, and

iii)       likely consequences for national productivity, investment, economic growth, cost of living and social capital.

2)           That the committee's investigation include, but not be limited to:

a)            any economic and cost/benefit analysis underpinning the NBN;

b)            the ownership, governance and operating arrangements of the NBN company and any NBN related entities;

c)            any use of bonds to fund the NBN;

d)            any regulations or legislation pertaining to the NBN;

e)            the availability, price, level of innovation and service characteristics of broadband products presently available, the extent to which those services are delivered by established and emerging providers, and the prospects for future improvements in broadband infrastructure and services (including through private investment);

f)             the effects of the NBN on the availability, price, choice, level of innovation and service characteristics of broadband products in metropolitan, outer-metropolitan, semi-rural and rural and regional areas and towns;

g)            the extent of demand for currently available broadband services, the factors influencing consumer choice for broadband products and the effect on demand if the Government's FTTP proposal proceeds;

h)            any technical, economic, commercial, regulatory, social or other barriers that may impede attaining the Government's stated goal for broadband availability and performance in the specified time frame;

i)              the appropriate public policy goals for communications in Australia and the nature of any necessary regulatory settings to continue to develop competitive market conditions, improved services, lower prices and innovation;

j)              the role of government and its relationship with the private sector and existing private investment in the telecommunications sector;

k)            the effect of the NBN on the delivery of Universal Service Obligations services; and

l)              whether, and if so to what extent, the former Government's OPEL initiative would have assisted making higher speed and more affordable broadband services available.

2A         That the committee is to examine the findings of the National Broadband Network Implementation Study, the Government's response to the Implementation Study and any subsequent implications of that report for the National Broadband Network policy.

Terms of reference varied 26 November 2009

Current inquiries

As at 17 June 2010

New references

1 January 2010–17 June 2010

Public hearings

1 January 2010–17 June 2010

Reports tabled

1 January 2010–17 June 2010

Government responses

1 January 2010–30 June 2010

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