In a joint statement by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, they said the legislation will ensure the NBN is "owned by who it belongs to - the Australian people."

The officials added that keeping the NBN in public hands will "lock in affordable and accessible high speed internet" for future generations.

"The Coalition rushed to declare the NBN ‘complete’ so they could put it on the block for sale – selling out Australian consumers and regional communities," the statement read.

In 2020, the Coalition government declared that the national broadband network was "built and fully operational," a necessary step to privatise NBN Co and its network, Australian media reported.

At that time, media reported there was no "further commitment" to run a sale process due to time-consuming conditions that need to be met before a sale could proceed.

The process would require a Productivity Commission inquiry, a parliamentary joint committee review of the commission's report, and ministerial and parliamentary approval.

These conditions still need to be met today.

The text of the government's bill repeals sale provisions in the NBN Companies Act, revoking the conditions and the legislated pathway to a sale.

It maintained: "Parliament’s intention is that the national broadband network is operated by NBN Co."

"Under provisions called the Commonwealth ownership provisions, the Commonwealth must retain ownership of NBN Co."

Commpete, the alliance for competition in digital communications, agrees with the government's move.

"Commpete believes it is of utmost importance that public interest outcomes are always preserved," said Commpete executive director (consultant) Michelle Lim. "We believe one cornerstone is the explicit requirement of a wholesale-only, structurally separated NBN."

"In prior years, Commpete advocated for the government to think about and specify what the NBN Companies Act calls ‘unacceptable private ownership or control situations'".

"Commpete agrees this is even more important as digital services and telecom utilities are needed by every Australian - everywhere."