Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
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Department overview | |
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Formed | 3 December 2007[1] |
Preceding Department | Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts |
Dissolved | 18 September 2013 |
Superseding agency | Department of Communications |
Jurisdiction | Commonwealth of Australia |
Headquarters | Canberra |
Employees | 679 (at April 2013)[2] |
Annual budget | A$113.190 million (2012/013) |
Minister responsible |
Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy |
Department executives |
Drew Clarke, Secretary (2013)[3] Peter Harris, Secretary (2009‑12)[3][4][5] Patricia Scott, Secretary (2007‑09) |
Child agencies |
Australian Communications and Media Authority NBN Co Limited Australian Broadcasting Corporation Australian Postal Corporation Special Broadcasting Service Corporation |
Website |
www |
The Australian Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy is a former department of the Government of Australia that was charged with the responsibility to help develop a vibrant, sustainable and internationally-competitive broadband, broadcasting and communications sector and, through this, promote the digital economy for the benefit of all Australians.[6]
The department was formed in 2007 and dissolved in 2013. Its functions were assumed by the newly created Department of Communications.
Operational functions
In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 3 December 2007, the functions of the department were broadly classified into the following matters:[7]
- Broadband policy and programs
- Postal and telecommunications policies and programs
- Spectrum policy management
- Broadcasting policy
- National policy issues relating to the digital economy
- Content policy relating to the information economy
Department programs
- The Higher Bandwidth Incentive Scheme (HiBIS) was a strategy to provide registered Internet service providers with incentive payments to supply higher bandwidth services in regional, rural and remote areas at prices comparable to those available in metropolitan areas.
- The Australia Connected package was announced on 18 June 2007. Up to $958 million ($600 million from Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program funding and an additional $358 million in funding) was allocated towards a new national wholesale network which was stated to deliver high speed broadband to rural and regional Australia by June 2009.
References
- ↑ CA 9184: The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 11 January 2014
- ↑ Australian Public Service Commission (2 December 2013), State of the Service Report: State of the Service Series 2012-13, Australian Public Service Commission, p. 253, archived from the original on 6 December 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Peake, Ross (11 February 2013). "PM's new department head 'an asset'". The Canberra Times (Fairfax Media). Archived from the original on 11 January 2014.
- ↑ Kelly, Joe (27 November 2012). "Harris to step into PC top job". The Australian (News Corp Australia).
- ↑ Rudd, Kevin (13 August 2009). "Departmental secretaries and statutory office-holders, Canberra" (Press release). Archived from the original on 10 November 2013.
- ↑ "Corporate Plan 2011-13". About us. Commonwealth of Australia. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
- ↑ "Administrative Arrangement Order of 3 December 2007" (PDF). Government of Australia. 3 December 2007. p. 10. Archived from the original on 28 April 2013.