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This opportunity is part of the Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia (Better Connectivity Plan) which is providing more than $1.1 billion to rural and regional communities. Through the October 2022 Budget, the Government provided $656 million for the Better Connectivity Plan to improve mobile and broadband connectivity and resilience in rural and regional Australia.

Up to $55 million (GST exclusive) is available for Round 8 to fund deployment of new or upgraded mobile phone infrastructure that will provide resilient mobile coverage in regional and remote areas prone to Natural Disasters, to assist during times of emergency.  

This grant will deliver resilient new and improved mobile coverage and competition in areas prone to Natural Disasters, including bushfires, cyclones and floods, by co-funding with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)  and Mobile Network Infrastructure Providers (MNIPs) to deliver new or upgraded telecommunications infrastructure.

The grant opportunity will be administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRDCA).

Infrastructure funded must deliver the mobile coverage outcomes to regional and remote communities for an operational period of 10 years.

To assist collaboration between local communities and the telecommunications industry, the Government has launched an online project noticeboard which enables local governments and state, territory and federal parliamentarians to identify potential projects or locations which would benefit from new and improved coverage. Industry applicants are encouraged to consider the proposed projects and locations on the Project Noticeboard when developing their applications.

Eligibility:

Applicants must:

·         have an Australian Business Number (ABN)

·         be one of the following entity types:

• a National Mobile Network Operator (MNO); or
• a  Mobile Network Infrastructure Provider (MNIP).

The News Media Relief Program (the program) will support the sustainability of Australian news publishers in the face of significant disruption to the media sector.

The objectives of the program are:

• support the sustainability of Australian news publishers in the face of significant disruption to the media sector
• support the creation of news content distributed online
• encourage the continued employment of journalists who primarily produce news that is in the Australian public interest
• building and maintaining social cohesion in Australia, including for Cultural and Linguistically Diverse CALD communities, First Nations communities and the wider Australian community.

The intended outcomes of the program are:

• support and safeguard news coverage in Australia
• mitigate the significant risk to the financial sustainability of news publications in regional and outer metropolitan areas of Australia, and publications providing news for CALD and First Nations communities.

Organisations with a primary purpose of producing core news content will be eligible for funding to support a proportion of the salary costs of journalists producing core news content that is distributed digitally.

The grant amount is $13,000 per eligible journalist full time equivalent (FTE).

If the journalist is not employed full time with the applicant, the grant amount requested should be based on a pro-rata amount of the FTE.

The program will run over 1 year from 2024-25.

You can apply if you:

• have an Australian business number (ABN)
• be registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
• have an account with an Australian financial institution

And either:

• be located in, and provide core news content to, an eligible geographic community, or
• provide core news content targeted to an eligible audience.

You must also be one of the following entities:

• an entity, incorporated in Australia
• a company limited by guarantee
• an incorporated association
• a co-operative
• a partnership
• an incorporated not for profit organisation or registered charity
• an individual.

Eligible geographic communities are:

• a regional community - located in a regional area of Australia, i.e. one that is in a location that is not a major city of Australia. The geographic community may be centred on one or more specific towns or local government areas in a regional area with shared communal interests. The publication’s target audience is the regional community and does not target a state or national news audience.
• a local suburban community - located in a major city of Australia and is centred on one or more specific suburbs or local government areas in a metropolitan area with shared communal interests. The publication’s target audience is the local suburban community and does not target a state or national news audience.

Under the Australian Bureau of Statistics Remoteness Structure, major cities of Australia include but are not limited to: Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide, and Melbourne. Hobart is not considered a major city of Australia.

Eligible audiences are:

• First Nations audiences - primarily made up of members of at least one Australian First Nations community
• CALD audiences - primarily made up of members of at least one, specific community defined by their national, linguistic or cultural background.

The On Farm Connectivity Program Round 2 (the program) will run over 1 year in 2024-25. This program forms part of the Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia (Better Connectivity Plan) and assists Primary Producers to take advantage of digital agribusiness solutions to boost productivity and improve safety.

The objectives of the program are:

• extend digital connectivity and take advantage of advanced farming technology
• enhance a Primary Producers’ capacity to implement digital agribusiness solutions through improved connectivity
• capitalise on the agricultural sector’s potential for increased productivity and growth
• support access to new communications equipment by offsetting some of the cost.

The intended outcomes of the program are:

• increased investment in equipment to support operations of the agricultural sector
• increased efficiency, competitiveness, productivity and profitability of the agricultural sector
• improved safety on farm
• increased use of advanced farming technology
• improved knowledge of advanced farming technology and digital literacy.

Eligible Primary Producers can only access the program (and rebate) through an Approved Supplier.

The Australian Government announced $30 million for the On Farm Connectivity program in the October 2023 budget with $15 million available for Round 1 and Round 2 of the program. A further $3 million is now being provided for Round 2.

For Round 2 of this grant opportunity $18 million is available in 2024-25.

The grant (rebate) amount will be up to 50% of the cost of eligible equipment item/s listed at Appendix B of the grant opportunity guidelines.

• The minimum grant (rebate) amount is $1,000 (GST exclusive).
• The maximum grant (rebate) amount is $30,000 (GST exclusive).

As an Approved Supplier listed at Appendix A, you can claim up to the maximum rebate amount for each eligible Primary Producer with an Australian Business Number (ABN).

Eligibility:

You can apply if you:

• are an Approved Supplier in appendix A of the grant opportunity guidelines
• supply an eligible connectivity solution and the associated eligible equipment as listed in Appendix B of the grant opportunity guidelines to an eligible Primary Producer (as defined in Appendix C of the grant opportunity guidelines) and provide a quote itemising the equipment to be supplied
• be able to supply (including delivery and installation if applicable) the eligible connectivity solution and associated eligible equipment to the eligible Primary Producer within the 120 calendar day period of approval
• ensure the Primary Producer’s ABN has been registered for 12 months prior to application submission and be at different locations if submitting multiple applications.

Only if the Primary Producer meets the eligibility criteria, and:

• are a registered business and have an ABN that has been active for the previous 12 months
• have an annual average gross income (i.e. total revenue before expenses and tax) from primary production of between $40,000 and $4 million. Annual average income is calculated as the average of the previous 3 full financial years’ income for each ABN
• are not a hobby farmer
• operate an eligible primary production activity listed at Appendix D of the grant opportunity guidelines.

The objective of the Program is to incentivise voluntary uptake of ADS-B equipment in Australian-registered aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) to improve safety and efficiency for Australian airspace users.

The program will provide:

• better situational awareness for pilots through improved electronic visibility of nearby airborne VFR and IFR aircraft
• enhanced search and rescue capabilities through improved air traffic information
• air traffic controllers with additional and accurate automated aircraft position information of VFR aircraft.

The Program funds two classes of eligible ADS-B equipment:

• installed ADS-B equipment that air traffic controllers can use for aircraft separation purposes (referred to as ADS-B)
• portable ADS-B equipment for local electronic traffic information purposes (referred to as ADS-B EC).

To apply you must:

• be the registered owner of a crewed aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) or Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and shown in an approved registration database including:
• the CASA Australian aircraft register for VH aircraft (e.g. fixed wing, helicopter, balloon, glider) registration database managed by CASA
• an approved Australian Sport Aviation organisation:
  • Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus)
  • Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association (ASRA)
  • Sports Aviation Federation of Australia (SAFA).
• purchase and/or install in your registered aircraft:
  • a device which provides ADS-B-OUT functionality or an ADS-B EC device but not both, after 20 December 2021, or
  • a device which provides ADS-B-IN functionality or a device which provides ADS-B-IN and OUT functionality, after 31 May 2024.

If a grant was paid in respect of your aircraft under ADS-B Round 1 you are eligible to apply under the following conditions:

• the equipment adds ADS-B IN functionality that was not previously available, or
• you are upgrading from an EC device to installed equipment.

Public Lending Right (PLR) and Educational Lending Right (ELR) are Australian Government programs that compensate Australian creators and publishers in recognition of income lost through free multiple use of their books in public and educational lending libraries. These programs support the enrichment of Australian culture by encouraging the growth and development of Australian writing.

A creator or a publisher must register and submit title claims within five years from the year of publication. Books are surveyed in a sample of either public lending libraries (PLR) or school, TAFE and university libraries (ELR).

Eligible creators are:

• authors, editors, illustrators, translators and compilers
• Australian citizens, wherever they reside, or non-citizens who normally reside in Australia (eligibility ceases if residency in Australia ceases)
• those who receive on-going royalties from the sale of their book.

Eligible publishers are:

• companies whose business consists wholly or substantially of the publication of books and who regularly publish in Australia—'regularly publish' is defined as at least once in the preceding three year period
• non-profit organisations that publish to further their aims or objectives
• self-publishing creators.

The Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program seeks to deliver transformative investment in regional, rural and remote Australia based on the principles of unifying regional places, growing their economies and serving their communities.

The program will focus on a partnership approach, bringing together governments and communities to deliver regional precincts that are tailored to local needs and have a shared vision in how that precinct connects to the region.

This grant opportunity is part of the regional Precincts and Partnerships Program.

The Precinct Delivery grant opportunity provides funding to deliver one or more elements of a precinct. This could include enabling public infrastructure (roads, pathways, underground infrastructure), open spaces between elements, or a particular building/s that is the catalyst for, or complements, other investment within a precinct.

For Stream Two, the project is considered to be one or more elements of a precinct. This grant opportunity will provide funding for the delivery of projects, rather than entire precincts. This contrasts with Stream One, where the project is considered to be the planning and development of the whole precinct.

Partnerships are essential to the program, which has a focus on bringing together all interested parties to collaboratively plan or deliver precinct proposals. These partnerships are intended to be conglomerates of relevant entities as well as other local stakeholders, including but not limited to:

• State and Territory government
• Local government
• Regional universities
• Not-for-profit entities
• First Nations groups
• Regional Development Australia committees
• Community organisations
• Private enterprise
• Australian government agencies that have policy/program interests or responsibilities.

The Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program seeks to deliver transformative investment in regional, rural and remote Australia based on the principles of unifying regional places, growing their economies and serving their communities.

The program will focus on a partnership approach, bringing together governments and communities to deliver regional precincts that are tailored to local needs and have a shared vision in how that precinct connects to the region.

This grant opportunity is part of the regional Precincts and Partnerships Program.

The Precinct Development and Planning grant opportunity provides opportunities to develop a precinct idea through to investment-ready stage. The rationale for Stream One is to recognise that financial constraints can inhibit great concepts being explored further and developed into realistic, well-designed and planned projects.

For Stream One, the project is considered to be a plan for the entire precinct, even if you are only considering future investment in one element of the precinct. This contrasts with Stream Two, where the project is one or more elements of a precinct.

The objective of the grant opportunity is to activate partnerships to jointly deliver precinct plans.

The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity are to:

• establish partnerships comprised of relevant government entities, community organisations and businesses that have a shared vision for a regional precinct
• deliver precinct plans that are tailored to their local contexts and based on community feedback and engagement
• support precinct plans to become investment ready.

Partnerships are essential to the program, which has a focus on bringing together all interested parties to collaboratively plan or deliver precinct proposals. These partnerships are intended to be conglomerates of relevant entities as well as other local stakeholders, including but not limited to:

• State and Territory government
• Local government
• Regional universities
• Not-for-profit entities
• First Nations groups
• Regional Development Australia committees
• Community organisations
• Private enterprise
• Australian government agencies that have policy/program interests or responsibilities.

Road crashes are a major cost to Australians every year. Black Spot projects target those road locations where crashes are occurring. By funding measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at dangerous locations, the programme reduces the risk of crashes. Programmes of this sort are very effective, saving the community many times the cost of the relatively minor road improvements that are implemented

The Black Spot Programme makes an important contribution in reducing the national road toll under the National Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan.

The Australian Government has committed $500 million to the Black Spot Programme from 2014-15 to 2018-19, which includes an additional $200 million over two years from 2015-16 under the Infrastructure Growth Package to improve road safety across the nation.

The Government has announced changes to the programme’s eligibility criteria for 2015-16 and 2016-17 aimed at assisting local communities to compete for this additional funding over the next two years.

Under the new criteria, the minimum Benefit Cost Ratio for proposals has been reduced from 2:1 to 1:1. In addition, the minimum crash history of sites has been reduced from 3 to 2 casualty crashes over five years or 0.13 casualty crashes per kilometre per year over 5 years.

The criteria has also been amended to allow more funding for the proactive treatment of unsafe roads. Consultative Panels will able to allocate up to 40% of funding to sites on the basis of a road safety audit.

The Government has also guaranteed that at least 50 per cent of funding provided over the next two years will be dedicated to fixing roads in regional Australia.

The Bridges Renewal Program is an Australian Government initiative to fund the upgrade and replacement of bridges to enhance access for local communities and facilitate higher productivity vehicle access.

Up until now, these programs invited applications separately through specified, time-limited funding rounds. The Australian Government will now consider projects on an ongoing basis with applications accepted all year round to provide increased flexibility and permit projects to be submitted when they will most benefit Australia’s bridges and heavy vehicle infrastructure.

The Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program (HVSPP) is an Australian Government initiative to fund infrastructure projects that improve the productivity and safety outcomes of heavy vehicle operations across Australia.
Up until now, these programs invited applications separately through specified, time-limited funding rounds. The Australian Government will now consider projects on an ongoing basis with applications accepted all year round to provide increased flexibility and permit projects to be submitted when they will most benefit Australia’s bridges and heavy vehicle infrastructure.

The National Cultural Heritage Account helps Australian public cultural organisations buy significant objects that they could not otherwise afford. Australian cultural institutions can apply for funding. This includes museums, art galleries, libraries, archives, historic buildings, national trusts and local history museums and galleries, and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander keeping places for sacred/secret material.