Australian Senate Passes Key Broadband Bill

One of two key pieces of legislation relating to the operation of the $36 billion National Broadband Network (NBN) has passed through the Australian Senate.

The government moved to extend sitting hours and recall the Senate today, as it battles to push through two NBN-related bills before a six-week parliamentary break. The NBN Companies bill was passed this morning with the support of the Australian Greens, independent senator Nick Xenophon and Family First senator Steve Fielding. The Greens demanded last-minute changes to a deal struck between the government over the way the NBN Co can be scrutinized under freedom of information laws. The Greens, with the support of Senator Xenophon and the opposition, have demanded the FOI minister review in a year whether the FOI laws are being “abused”. Greens communications spokesman Scott Ludlam said he wanted to ensure information requested under FOI was not rejected by NBN Co that was “not just commercially sensitive but commercial at all.”