Media release - Albanese Government shortchanges Australians on spectrum

Melissa McIntosh MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Shadow Minister for Women
Federal Member for Lindsay

30 October 2025

Albanese Government shortchanges Australians on spectrum

Australian taxpayers could be shortchanged up to $3.2 billion as the Albanese Labor Government considers abandoning auctions for spectrum licences for telecommunications and broadcasting companies.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Closing Broadband Connectivity Divides for All report released in July 2025 confirmed spectrum licence auctions are the gold standard for managing this limited but precious resource.

Shadow Minister for Communications, Melissa McIntosh MP said, “the Albanese Labor Government is proposing to give away an estimated $3 billion of revenue for nothing in return. The Government must ensure companies pay for operating such a valuable public asset which connects Australians to each other and the information they need.”

“The OECD recognises that auctioning spectrum is the gold standard. The Albanese Government needs to step in now before licence rollovers commence.

“ACMA is leading the spectrum licence renewal process and must heed the OECD’s advice which recognises Australia’s gold standard auctioning process before rollovers of spectrum licences begin and Australians are shortchanged.

“Telcos are saying if they have to pay more for their spectrum licences to operate that will mean less investment in the network and higher prices for customers. If the Government proceeds with this approach they should at the very least apply licence conditions to each telco to invest any savings directly back into the network to increase coverage and commit to not increasing prices for customers.

“Has the government considered the Budget implications of this gigantic loss of revenue for Australians? We are talking about $3 billion of taxpayers’ money that could be used to fund health, housing, and much needed infrastructure across Australia.

“I highly doubt there would be many Australians that would support giving away $3 billion for nothing in return, when so many families are struggling under a cost of living crisis.

“In such a digital world, Australians rely on access to high-quality and affordable connectivity. Yet we pay some of the highest prices in the world, behind only Norway and Iceland.

“The Labor Government needs to get their priorities right and review the auction decision immediately.”