Local Government Planning and High-Speed Broadband in Australia

Abstract

The introduction of the Australian National Broadband Network (NBN) in 2009 raised questions about the potentials of the telecommunications infrastructure for Australian urban and regional planning. The recent decision by the Australian Federal Government to build the NBN, using a mix of technologies, has intensified the need to investigate the implications of telecommunications at the local level, as Australian local governments then need to respond differently based on the level of access provided in each case. The paper investigates such implications in the three areas of e-governance, socioeconomic development, and spatial planning. Building upon the international literature, and empirical data collected from the Australian local governments, it analyzes a raft of mostly unscrutinized policy initiatives developed, over the last few years, to guide the early rollout. The findings show some policy development regarding the socioeconomic implications of the new infrastructure, limited understanding of e-governance potentials, and lagging policy focus on spatial planning.