Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (nbn) Bill

Media Release

Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (NBN) Bill

The Australian Government has introduced into the Senate the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (National Broadband Network Measures No 1) Bill 2009.

Australia's energy network businesses are major stakeholders in the National Broadband Network initiative.

This Bill is of direct relevance to energy networks as it extends a range of new information collection powers to utilities, to support the Implementation Study and rollout of the NBN.

The energy industry has extensive electricity infrastructure assets and capacity, which may be useful in assisting with the rollout of the NBN. Many electricity network businesses also have significant experience in the commercial rollout and installation of cable television infrastructure and fibre using electricity assets, as well as the commercial sale of fibre network capacity to telecommunications carriers.

The Bill extends some information gathering powers to which previously only other telecommunication carriers were subject.

The rationale for this extension is that the NBN Implementation Study will require detailed information on utility ducts, poles and other facilities to enable it to study the best way for the NBN to be rolled out. The Bill will also provide a capacity for the government-owned NBN Company to require information over the next decade to assist it in carrying out the rollout.

Energy network infrastructure is critical infrastructure, and issues of commercial confidentiality will be key for ENA members. From a business point of view, the cost of collecting and providing information to inform the Australian Government and the NBN Company must be reasonable.

ENA is currently reviewing the Bill and we look forward to sharing our members views with departmental officials in the coming week.

ENA has made submissions on NBN which are available from the ENA website:

*National Broadband Network: Regulatory Reform for 21st Century Broadband

*National Broadband Network: Fibre-to-the-premises in greenfield estates

Ends.
Contact:
Andrew Blyth CEO -
02 6272 1555

ENA is the peak national body for Australia's energy networks; and represents gas distribution and electricity network businesses on economic, technical, environment and safety regulation as well as national energy policy issues.

SOURCE: Energy Networks Association