South Australia leading the way with free internet to vulnerable families

More than 2,500 South Australian families have embraced the Albanese Government’s initiative to provide free broadband to eligible households.

The Albanese Government is investing $8.8 million through the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) to connect up to 30,000 families nationwide without internet at home to free broadband, in a bid to narrow the digital divide and ease cost-of-living pressures.

The initiative is supporting some of the most vulnerable people across the country by getting families connected to what is becoming an essential need: a reliable broadband connection.

The South Australian Government has played an active role by directly encouraging families to take advantage of the program and boosting visibility across its public and secondary schools.

The work of both Governments’ has led to South Australia having the greatest number of connected families as a proportion of their overall student population.

More than 2,500 families in SA – from 13,000 across the country – have already been connected to free internet as a result of the Initiative. To be eligible, a family must:

Have a child living at home enrolled in an Australian school;
Have no active broadband service over the NBN network;
Live in a premises where they can access a standard NBN service.
Not have an active NBN service during the previous 14 days

Once assessed as eligible, families are issued with a unique voucher they can redeem with a participating internet provider. The free service begins from the day the service is activated, and is available across all NBN technologies until 31 December 2025.

To apply, families are encouraged to contact the National Referral Centre – run by Anglicare Victoria – on 1800 954 610 (Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm AEDT), or visit: www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet

Further information on the SSBI is available at: www.infrastructure.gov.au/SSBI

Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:

“The Albanese Government is determined to narrow the digital divide – including by helping more families enjoy the transformational benefits of broadband.

“The Commonwealth is proud to have partnered with the South Australian Government to connect over two thousand five hundred families without internet at home to quality, reliable and free broadband.

“This initiative is making a real difference to Australian families who need it most. The flow on benefits from the program are incredible, with families able to access remote learning, tele-health and government support services for the very first time.

“The Albanese Government will continue working with the States and Territories to get more families connected to this important program”.

Quotes attributable to South Australian Minister for Education, Training and Skills, the Hon Blair Boyer MP:

“We have supported the school student broadband initiative to ensure that no matter a student’s background – they have access to a quality education and the resources needed to study.

“The uptake of this initiative from South Australian families is a testament to how important programs like this are.

“These are significant investments to support families with cost-of-living measures at a time when they need it most.”