The Never-Ending Net: Why It Will Take 25 Years to Build the NBN

The National Broadband Network (NBN) is finally set to be completed by 2030—nearly 25 years after it was first promised. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a $3 billion upgrade, aiming to modernise connections and expand access to 622,000 additional homes, especially in regional areas.

But why has it taken a quarter of a century to deliver decent internet in one of the world’s most developed nations?

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A Quarter-Century in the Making

First proposed in 2006 by then-Labor leader Kim Beazley, the NBN was envisioned as a "super-fast" broadband network for all Australians. Fast-forward nearly two decades, and Australians are still grappling with average speeds of 76.64 Mbps, well behind global leaders.

Prime Minister Albanese proudly declared, “Labor created the National Broadband Network, and only Labor will finish it.” But critics question why this finishing line keeps moving further into the future.

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The $3 Billion Fix

The newly pledged funding aims to upgrade fibre-to-the-node connections, delivering internet speeds of up to 1GB per second to over 11 million homes and businesses. However, the rollout won’t be completed until 2030—leaving Australians waiting yet again for modern internet capabilities.

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Regional Communities Left Hanging

The government has promised that more than half of the new connections will benefit regional and rural areas. While this is welcome news, it’s a stark acknowledgment of how long these communities have been left behind. For years, they’ve struggled with inadequate internet while cities enjoyed comparatively better infrastructure.

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A Cautionary Tale of Delays

The NBN’s 25-year timeline is a glaring example of political inertia. As NBN Co CEO Ellie Sweeney pointed out, households now consume 10 times more data than when the network was first imagined. The result? Infrastructure that feels outdated before it’s even fully rolled out.

For a nation that prides itself on innovation, the NBN debacle raises serious questions about Australia’s ability to deliver on critical infrastructure without unnecessary delays and compromises.

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