• targeted

12 Months Free NBN 50/20Mbps For Eligible Nominated Families @ School Student Broadband Initiative, Australian Government

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I came across this whilst browsing Exetel's website. I know a lot of people wouldn't really consider this a deal, but thought it was worth sharing anyway.

From the Australian Government's Department of Infrastructure website:

To boost education opportunities and narrow the digital divide, the Australian Government is working with NBN Co to provide up to 30,000 families with no internet at home free NBN for 12 months.

To be eligible, families with school age children will be nominated by participating schools, education authorities and charities/community organisations. These organisations will identify and provide information directly to families within their respective systems about the initiative.

The first families were connected during Term One in 2023. The one-year of free service begins from the day the service is activated for each family.

The Government is supporting NBN Co’s implementation and delivery of this initiative with a $4.5 million grant. This is a targeted affordability initiative while the Government considers longer-term solutions to address digital exclusion and education.

Who is eligible to receive free services?

To be eligible, a family must:

  • Have a child living at home that is enrolled in an Australian school in 2023.
  • Be referred by a nominating organisation. This will include consideration of whether your child has access to a device and the digital skills to use the internet safely.
  • Have no active NBN service.

List of participating nominating organisations. In addition, Federal Members of Parliament and Senators are able to identify and nominate eligible families.

National

ACT

NSW

QLD

SA

TAS

VIC

WA


Edit 23/10/23:

To check your eligibility, follow these simple steps.

Contact the National Referral Centre, operated by Anglicare Victoria, on 1800 954 610 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm AEDT) or at www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet.
The National Referral Centre team will help assess your eligibility for the SSBI, by checking several things including your residential address and current financial situation.
If eligible, you will be issued a voucher which can be redeemed at any of the participating SSBI retail service providers. The National Referral Centre will also be available to assist with contacting your SSBI retail service provider of choice and providing follow-up support.

Related Stores

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, Australian Government
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, Australian Government

Comments

  • +89

    This belongs in the forums.

    This is no different to other welfare payments.

      • +42

        Not sure if your comment was laced with sarcasm or not, but if it is, jv has a point on this occasion. Not really a "deal".

          • +18

            @magic8ballgag:

            Perhaps the deal section should be exclusively

            I didn't write the rules… Maybe you should read up on them.

            Welfare is not a bargain.

              • +21

                @magic8ballgag:

                Rules were made to be rewritten.

                Then rewrite them… Until then, there are rules…

                But first you need to learn what they are…

              • +2

                @magic8ballgag: do you have brain damage?

              • +2

                @magic8ballgag: You know you're acting like a clown for your irrational comment been pinned, right?

            • @jv: Welfare totally is a bargain

              • +3

                @merriweather:

                Welfare totally is a bargain

                Not for tax payers

      • +10

        Read the posting rules.

        income producing programs or social services (e.g. increase to Centrelink payments) should not be posted.

          • +17

            @magic8ballgag:

            perhaps this should be revisited.

            Raise it in the forums then.

            It doesn't give you the right to ignore the posting rules.

            This section is for deals and bargains, not public announcements on government welfare.

            • @jv: Give it a rest, JV. Are there any rules that actually permit your constant stream of useless comments on deals?

              • +8

                @wormarts: Seriously though. The guy is a troll who should be banned from Ozbargain or at least have his comments capped

                • @jay889344: For someone who commented 7256 times, still these comments are a troll ngl

                  • +15

                    @BargainsGrabber: That's still a drop in the ocean compared with JV at 104,928 comments, that's bordering on an unpaid full-time job LOL
                    But getting back to JV's correct point, yes, this does not belong in "deals" on OB

                • +6

                  @jay889344: If you don't like him downvote him. We shouldn't ban people just because you think he's a troll (others disagree)?

                • +2

                  @jay889344: Just auto hide their comments, it will do wonders for your sanity!

                  • +4

                    @Nuggets: @Nuggets

                    Just auto hide their comments

                    I auto hid my own comments.

              • +3

                @wormarts: 37 people seem to want JV's comment.

            • +1

              @jv: Jesus, did you wake up and hit your head. 90% of what you post is meaningless drivel just trying to earn points. This isn't welfare income or an increase in payments. Its something for free if you qualify. More interesting than some new stupid movie that's on Netflix.

              • +3

                @Geoff01:

                90% of what you post is meaningless drivel just trying to earn points

                That is subjective and your opinion is meaningless.

                What points are there to earn?

              • +4

                @Geoff01:

                This isn't welfare

                Yes it is…

                The government pay for the internet bill. NBNCo do not give it away for free.

    • +12

      Completely agree. Especially so because the school has to refer a student to this - there is no way to apply even if you think you are eligible.

      It's about as useful as a 'deal' that says you're entitled to the dole if you lose your job.

    • another 'spicy' but targeted offer for the disadvantaged.

      • Not disadvantaged, just "disadvantaged".

  • +15

    Thank you for sharing. I've passed it on to a few community groups I'm part of.

      • -3

        rare jv L

        • +3

          Not that rare tbh

      • +34

        What makes you write a comment like this JV? Is it purely to get your comment stats up? Because it's rude and adds nothing to the conversation. And it just makes people who you reply to have a slightly worse day. I'm honestly curious.

          • +4

            @jv: "No it's not" isn't automatically true just because you say it is. You were a jerk.

        • +18

          @jv needs to be banned from Ozbargain…or get a job. Either one

          • -6

            @jay889344:

            or get a job.

            I don't need a job.

            • @jv: How much have you been awarded in $ by the OzBargain website for being the the member with the highest post count at the end of the year, jv ?

              Serious Question! maybe the detractors don't realize there has been money to be made by simply making comments!

              • +1

                @Wally:

                How much have you been awarded in $ by the OzBargain website for being the the member with the highest post count

                Nice try ATO………….

        • +12

          I think JV just really enjoys the thrill of having both the most pos and neg voted comments on each post.

          • @Pelicannn: problem is that shiny shiny internet points don't pay bills

            • -1

              @hotphil:

              internet points don't pay bills

              They do at OnlyFans.

        • -1

          Just downvote anytime you see this muppet. Absolutely useless comments non stop. They really need to get a life.

          • @Johnsmithaus:

            Just downvote anytime

            Says the woke…. 🤣

  • +1

    Have no active NBN service? 🤔

    • That's the 'catch' the government put in to reduce the cost of this welfare payment, but still allows them to get the more votes they introduced this for.

    • +4

      Yeah, I'm not sure I agree with this requirement, but believe it or not there are people out there that can't afford/don't currently have an NBN service.

      • I'm not sure I agree with this requirement

        So break that rule too… and lie on your application form.

        To quote you:

        Rules were made to be rewritten.

        • +4

          I agree, let's make it even easier for those elibile to benefit from this deal!

          • +1

            @magic8ballgag: So now you are encouraging people to commit fraud then?

            • +2

              @jv:

              So now you are encouraging people to commit fraud then?

              You edited your comment right before I replied to the original.

              • +2

                @magic8ballgag:

                You edited your comment

                No I didn't

                • +1

                  @jv: Yes, you did.

                  You original comment was just:

                  So break that rule too…

                  • @magic8ballgag: No it wasn't.

                    You must have slow internet…

        • i dare say they will check cos in covid i actually didn’t have nbn only the other internet ( forgot name ) and superloop did a promo for home school if no nbn and i applied and they checked if i had active nbn and then they arranged for a worker to come and hook up the nbn n then i got free nbn 25 speed for i think about 18 months

  • +34

    This is listed on the internet, for people with no internet.

    • +4

      *This is listed on the internet, for people with no NBN.

      Still accessible through public computers at the library, schools, charities, and mobile phones.

      • +3

        Or cancel your nbn and use something else while you apply for the deal?

  • +3

    Great find OP. I hope this post helps families in need.

    • -3

      I hope this post helps families in need.

      How will they read this post ?????????

      • +18

        Not having NBN doesn't mean they don't have access to Internet. They might use mobile data/hot spot to get by. This will help some people in need to get NBN for 12 months for free. See the positive side.

      • +2

        Fear not, for I have dispatched the town crier.

  • +3

    Notice unlike the Indigenous loans scheme one which was filled with 'why them and not me' comments and 'why are we giving benefits to one group of people over the others, this one has nothing like that?!?

    We know why….

    • +8

      We know why….

      Because it is not racist in nature?

      • How is it racist? Indigenous peoples all over the world who had their native lands stolen from them get reparations and have schemes in place to try narrow the size of disadvantage they're at today by nearly all major metrics. They are NOT at an advantage vs anyone. These schemes simply try narrow the DISADVANTAGE they're at, not put them in front of entitled 'what about me' fools.

        We should stop looking at schemes like that through a racial lens and instead through a lens of - these people are by all major metrics at a significant disadvantage because of the wrongs of the past, so we will do what we can to try bring them back to a level playing field with the rest of us.

        Why do we pay taxes to provide welfare benefits? NDIS funding? Unemployment? SAME THING - those people are at a disadvantage so the tax system redistributes wealth to try narrow their disadvantage

        • +6

          How is it racist?

          It benefits you if you are of that race, and discriminates against you if you are not.

          It is the literal definition of racism.

          • +4

            @jv: What's your thoughts on disability parking?

        • +8

          The eligibility criteria for this scheme is that the applicant has to be referred by a participating organisation who accredited that the applicant doesn't have the ability to access internet services. This presumably results in only individuals accessing this service on an actual needs basis.

          In comparison, the eligibility criteria for the home loan scheme was pretty much that you're just an ATSI individual earning below 152k annually. That's not a needs based assessment and is basically just giving out tax payer funded loans on the basis of heritage.

          People would have been far more accepting of the home loan deal if its eligibility criteria was based on socioeconomic status rather than heritage. The home loan scheme represents society taking the view that when you have two equally disadvantaged individuals, that some are more deserving of support than others based on their heritage.

          For those curious, I posted the home loan because it was extremely good for those who could access it. The reason it got deleted was because the lender didn't provide comparison rates for their mortgage products, which is an OzBargain requirement for mortgage posts.

          • +2

            @Tyrx:

            if it's eligibility criteria was based on socioeconomic status rather than heritage.

            Not enough votes in it for Albo to do that…

          • @Tyrx: i’ve had relatives get this loan and it’s only for a set time , say 3-5 years to get you a credit rating type thing then you have to refinance after the set time ..also it’s if you can’t get financial help from anywhere else ..like honestly how much would a bank loan if someone was on $80k

        • +3

          Where does this equality end though?

          Eventually after we give more and more money, aid, and forced diversity selection, you could say… "some animals are more equal than others" to quote George Orwell.

      • -2

        wHy cAnT i gEt tHiS dEaL. THIS IS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE KIDS

        Right? Right?

        • +3

          THIS IS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE KIDS

          That wouldn't be racist though…
          You missed the point.

          • -2

            @jv: Still discriminatory right? Why does one group of people (parents) get it but another group (non parents) don't? Non parents need internet too right?

            • +4

              @jay889344:

              Non parents need internet too right?

              This is for kids at school to be able to access internet.

              Lobby you local member for another program for Non-parents…

              • -1

                @jv: I'm all for this scheme to be clear, just like plenty of other people were for the Indigenous loans scheme which was simply another scheme aimed at helping those who could do with some help.

                We should be as happy to see ANY people who need help get it. The commentary on that Indigenous loans scheme post last week was a disgrace and a sad indictment of the attitudes of many in our beautiful country

                • @jay889344:

                  We should be as happy to see ANY people who need help get it.

                  That's not what the deals section if OzBargain is for though…

                  • @jv: Thats not what you've been arguing about though

                    • -1

                      @jay889344: I haven't been arguing.

                      • +2

                        @jv: I haven't been arguing….he argued

  • +9

    I found it useful, I have family members who can apply.

    • +3

      They can't apply.

      They need to be nominated by a participating organisation.

      • exactly right .my friend got sent a txt yesterday about this from her government housing company and they asked her to apply as she had school aged kids then it said they will assess to see if she has no active nbn

  • Good deal for families in need

    • +2

      No it's not.

      You could be living in poverty with school kids and still not be eligible to get this, whilst someone better off than you can

      • +1

        Yes it assumes you actually live in a permanent house, and that house has an nbn connection.

      • yes but to get this deal mostly charity put in the request

  • Yay. I dont have NBN.
    Will lobby my local MP to nominate me

    • charity to nom you haha

  • +13

    What’s with all the hate in this comment section?

    This site should be all about saving money compared to normal pricing.

    This post is exactly about that. If I were eligible, this would be great to know about.

    Let’s be real: this post is FAR MORE USEFUL than those sh!tty “save $1” posts that get 100s of upvotes.

    If there is a rule against this getting posted, then there’s a desperate need for the rules to be updated. No way are those “save $1” posts more useful to people than something like this.

    • What’s with all the hate in this comment section?

      What hate?

    • +2

      This site should be all about saving money compared to normal pricing.

      Correct, but this post is a government welfare service, and as such, is against the rules for posting a bargain. It should have been posted in the forums.

      • Who made the rules though? I don't think this isn't a good thing to have on the main page since people can ask these organisations to nominate them. A monthly NBN spend is potentially a weeks worth of groceries for some people.

        • Who made the rules though?

          The rulers did….

          • @jv: Good on them, but plenty of rules that don't make any sense

    • +1

      sh!tty “save $1” posts

      I will quote you:

      "This site should be all about saving money compared to normal pricing."

      • If they qualify and get it for free then that's a good saving…you need to go and have a coffee and get over yourself

    • +1

      It's means tested and you're probably not mucking about on ozbargain if you're choosing between paying for food or internet. It's for people on food stamps, that sort of thing.

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