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National Broadband Network
As a key element of its plan for the future, the Australian Government has committed to provide up to $4.7 billion and to consider necessary regulatory changes to facilitate the roll-out of a new open access, high-speed, fibre-based broadband network, providing downlink speeds of at least 12 megabits per second to 98 per cent of Australian homes and businesses.
The network will represent the single largest investment in broadband infrastructure in Australia's history.
Request for Proposals
On 11 April 2008, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, announced the release of a Request for Proposals to roll out and operate a new, open access, high-speed, fibre-based broadband network.
The closing time for lodgment of National Broadband Network proposals was noon Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time on 26 November 2008.
Evaluation of Proposals
The Panel of Experts (see below) evaluated all proposals received that met the minimum mandatory requirements and condition for participation. In undertaking the evaluation, the Panel of Experts was supported by specialist advisers and a range of Australian Government Departments and agencies. The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, announced on 22 January 2009 that the final report from the Panel of Experts on submissions to the National Broadband Network process had been received.
Panel of Experts
On 11 March 2008, the Minister announced the Panel of Experts that will assess proposals to rollout and operate the National Broadband Network.
The Panel is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Ms Patricia Scott.
The other members of the Panel are:
- Dr Ken Henry AC, Treasury Secretary.
- John Wylie AM, Lazard Carnegie Wylie CEO.
- Laureate Professor Rod Tucker, University of Melbourne.
- Professor Emeritus of Communications, Reg Coutts, University of Adelaide.
- Tony Shaw, former Australian Communications Authority Chairman.
- Tony Mitchell, Allphones Chairman.
Biographies of panel members are available in the Minister's announcement of 11 March 2008.
The Panel consulted with industry and the public on the specifics of the Request for Proposals.
Fibre Connections to Schools initiative
The Minister for Education is progressing the Government's Fibre Connections to Schools initiative, which complements the National Broadband Network process. Further information on this initiative is available on the 
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations website.
Specialist Advisers
The Department had appointed a number of specialist advisers, following competitive tender processes, to assist with the National Broadband Network.
- KPMG Corporate Finance (Aust) Pty Ltd was appointed as the Investment, Financial and Commercial Adviser
- Gibson Quai - AAS Pty Ltd was appointed as the Technical Adviser
- Corrs Chambers Westgarth was appointed as the Legal Adviser
- Frontier Economics Pty Ltd was appointed as the Regulatory Economics Adviser
- Following a call for Expression of Interests to all members of the Department's Legal Services Panel, the Australian Government Solicitor (AGS) was appointed as probity adviser for the NBN project under the Department's Deed of Standing Offer with AGS.
Contact information
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