Contacts

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Issues

Commonwealth grants (including the Networking the Nation (NTN) and the Social Bonus programs) support activities and projects which address telecommunications needs in regional Australia.

What are the Networking the Nation (NTN) and Social Bonus programs?

The NTN program has been operating since 1997. It has assisted the economic and social development of regional Australia by funding projects that have enhanced telecommunications infrastructure and services and increased access to telecommunications services in those areas, and thereby reduced disparities between urban and non-urban Australia. The initial $250 million allocation to NTN (the General Fund) is now fully committed.

In 1999 the Government announced further funding from the second partial sale of Telstra. The additional funding resulted in:

• the Building Additional Rural Networks initiative to promote ongoing, sustainable improvements in regional telecommunications services;
• the Local Government Fund to assist local government authorities in regional Australia provide online access to information and services including the Internet;
• a program to stimulate Internet service delivery in regional and rural Australia; and
• improved telecommunications access for remote islands communities.

The funding allocation to the Social Bonus programs is now fully committed.

• Document ID: 6384 |
• Last modified: 6 February 2008, 1:35pm