The federal government's number one priority is delivering cost-of-living help for hardworking Australian families. We know people are doing it tough.
That's why on July 1 we're delivering a tax cut for every Australian taxpayer, energy bill relief for every Australian household, increased rental assistance, cheaper medicines, cheaper childcare and more fee-free TAFE places.
Our responsible approach to cost-of-living relief supports Australians without adding to the inflationary pressures.
In 2024, our focus is also on making sure that families with school kids who don't have broadband at home are not left behind. We learnt from the pandemic that a lack of broadband can be a serious barrier to education. At that time, I was hearing stories from my own community of families visiting fast food restaurants to download the day's lessons using the free wi-fi. In a country as rich in opportunities as ours, that's unacceptable.
That's why the government's School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) is connecting up to 30,000 eligible households with free home broadband via the National Broadband Network (NBN).
Australian children - the second-generation of digital natives - continuously learn, play, socialise, engage and create online. Their educational, social and economic opportunities depend on digital inclusion, digital skills and media literacy to stay safe online. Learning does not end in the classroom and classrooms are no longer confined to school grounds.
Broadband boosts educational outcomes and opportunities. This is particularly important for students who study via distance and live in regional and remote areas.
While many Australian families have home broadband, some do not. Affordability and cost of living pressures are barriers, as highlighted in last year's Australian Digital Inclusion Index. This is not acceptable in our digital world.
Labor is investing $8.8 million to provide free access to broadband to help school students nationwide in partnership with NBN Co and countless community-based organisations. We extended this through to December 31, 2025, meaning more Australian families can benefit from free home broadband for longer.
This is making a real difference. More than 14,000 families without home broadband are now connected, with more than a third living in rural and regional areas. In NSW, more than 2800 families are connected to the SSBI - with almost 40 per cent of them living in regional areas.
Broadband for school kids improves digital literacy, enables access to online educational resources and tools, peer interaction and collaboration and extra-curricular activities.
The transformational benefits extend beyond education. Thanks to the SSBI, entire households can access essential services such as telehealth and online banking from home.
We are hearing from parents, schools, charities and community organisations around Australia about the initiative's positive impact. One mum, who is on the disability pension after an accident four years ago, described the growing financial cost of having to use mobile data for broadband access, and how relieved she was that her child - the only one without internet at home - was finally online.
Another single dad to two sons - aged five and 15 - who spends the majority of his income on other essential expenses said his eldest son is now able to fully participate at school because of this initiative. He now has free broadband, after having previously relied on mobile data and missed deadlines due to data limitations.
As students and parents look forward to the winter school holidays, I encourage families to find out if they are eligible to take part. The National Referral Centre - led by Anglicare Victoria - is here to help answer questions and step families through the application process.
Registrations close later this year - so don't delay. For more information visit infrastructure.gov.au/SSBI or contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Mon-Fri 10am to 6pm)
