Minister Cites Security Concerns Over Foreign-Controlled Starlink in $3 Billion NBN Push

The comments come as Labor defends a decision to inject a further $3 billion into the 15-year-old NBN project.

Elon Musk, chief executive officer of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X, attends a technology conference in Paris on June 16, 2023. Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

Australia’s communications minister has backed the injection of $3 billion (US$2.47 billion) towards finishing the 15-year-old National Broadband Network (NBN), saying it could help insulate against risks posed by foreign services like Elon Musk’s Starlink.

Since its launch in Australia in 2021, the Starlink satellite internet service has expanded rapidly across the country—eclipsing the NBN’s own satellite service.