A New Era for MNIPs: Policy, Partnership and the Path Ahead - Emilio Romeo
CommsDay Summit 2026 marked my first external speaking engagement as Indara’s CEO, coming shortly after the Federal Budget's commitment to accelerate digital infrastructure deployment. The urgency to deploy was also the anchor point of my keynote. I spoke to three priorities to help strengthen the nation’s digital future: streamlining land access and planning approvals; modernising the regulatory framework to recognise the role of mobile network infrastructure providers; and building stronger partnerships with councils.
Read my detailed keynote below.
2019 was the year Australia launched 5G. Seven years on, we are still not a 5G Standalone nation and we simply cannot afford another seven‑year runway. MNOs in several countries especially across Asia have already made the 5G SA leap. The question is: why not here in Australia?
Because the next era of connectivity isn’t just about faster networks. It’s about smarter, more resilient, more collaborative infrastructure and 5G SA is the foundation. Wireless connectivity has become a global currency for investment, productivity and national competitiveness.
Wireless connectivity is also an enabler for widespread AI adoption. AI is increasing traffic flows further, especially Uplink traffic. For current networks to keep up, we’ll need the flexibility to place antennas closer to where traffic is generated, and mobile infrastructure will have to evolve to support this shift.
And MNIPs are an essential contributor to that shift.
MNIPs represent more than $10 billion in asset value across the sector. The idea that we are passive landlords dramatically undersells our role. We are active enablers of national connectivity. We are critical infrastructure operators. And we are strategic partners to the mobile network operators who power Australia’s digital economy.
Our role is simple to describe but complex to deliver: we build, operate and secure the infrastructure that keeps Australia connected.
Yet the system we operate in is not keeping pace with the expectations placed on us.
AMTA’s Future of Mobile report makes this clear and the reforms signalled in the 2026 Federal Budget reinforce it. Australia is entering a major reset in how digital infrastructure is planned, regulated and delivered.
The Government has committed to improving the industry’s productivity by reducing barriers that impact deployment and maintenance of critical infrastructure. The reforms aim to streamline approvals, reduce duplication and create clearer pathways for deploying towers, fibre and small cells.
And these changes matter. Because today:
AMTA recorded that planning approvals take an average of 211 days.
Inconsistency and unpredictability in regulations undermine investment and slows delivery of essential services. In fact, if governments do not improve planning and regulatory processes for mobile infrastructure even by 10%, Australia misses out on approximately $430 million in additional telecommunications investment every year
Requirements vary across states and councils, increasing cost, complexity and delay.
These delays affect everyone. MNIPs, MNOs, communities and emergency responders who all rely on resilient mobile connectivity.
Meanwhile, expectations continue to rise. MNOs want more speed, predictability, and transparency. MNOs also want to work in partnership. Government wants more resilience, regional equity and efficient deployment. The public expects networks that simply work - everywhere, all the time.
To meet those expectations, we need to focus on three priorities. These priorities will also help establish Connectivity as state critical infrastructure.
Priority 1: Streamlining Land Access and Planning Approvals
Today, the cost and complexity of accessing Local and State Government land, varies dramatically across jurisdictions. In some cases, land access costs make a tower commercially unviable before we even begin.
In NSW, IPART‑set rentals for government land can be so high they effectively preclude development even when communities urgently need coverage, especially during natural disasters when connectivity saves lives.
And the delays are significant. AMTA’s report shows it takes an average of 211 days or nearly seven months to secure council approval for a new mobile tower. At Indara as of May 2026, our Development Applications this year have averaged 17 months (or 510 days), with a few tower sites taking more than two years to progress through planning cycle.
These delays have real consequences. Under the Mobile Black Spot Program, some towers have taken three to five years to deliver from funding announcement to on‑air. Not because of engineering, but because of planning, land access and power connection delays.
We are calling for nationally consistent, streamlined land access rules for telecommunications infrastructure approvals. This is not about special treatment. It is about enabling the infrastructure that underpins emergency services, all communities and national productivity.
Programs like the Regional Connectivity Program, the Better Connectivity Plan and state‑based initiatives show what’s possible when councils collaborate. But we need to scale this nationally. Demand for connectivity is outpacing the system designed to support it.
Priority 2: Modernising the Regulatory Framework
Current telecommunications infrastructure regulations, including State planning laws and codes, were written for a world where carriers owned most of the towers. That world no longer exists.
MNIPs now own the majority of Australia’s passive mobile infrastructure yet the regulatory framework has not kept pace.
In 2026, we need a modernised helpful regulatory regime, harmonised across all States, including supportive industry codes and Federal Government Guidelines that:
positively supports MNIPs as core infrastructure providers to help serve the carriers and their customers;
streamlines positive resolution of issues between MNIPs, local councils, carriers and impacted communities; and
sets clear, enforceable timeframes for access that increase the speed and certainty of approvals and deployment for MNIPs, while decreasing the costs involved.
This is one of the most important reforms for the future of our sector. It will improve co‑location processes, reduce bottlenecks and create a more efficient environment for shared infrastructure.
Priority 3: Partnering with Councils to Deliver Connectivity Faster and Fairer
Local government is one of the most important partners in Australia’s digital infrastructure ecosystem. But with 537 councils each with different rules, risk appetites and resources, the experience of deploying telecommunications infrastructure varies dramatically.
Unlike roads or energy, telecommunications is not considered state‑significant infrastructure. Councils are being asked to make decisions on national infrastructure without the resources they need.
Indara wants to change that.
We have collaborated seamlessly with councils such as ACTPLA, Brisbane City Council, and Wyndham City Council to deliver critical infrastructure end‑to‑end, from planning to power to leasing.
ACTPLA completed a streamlined planning and leasing process in just six months. That kind of consistency and certainty enables us and the MNOs to deliver improved connectivity outcomes for communities.
We want to move to a partnership model that helps councils:
understand the community and economic benefits of improved connectivity
access clear, consistent planning guidance
reduce administrative burden through standardised processes
prioritise sites that support emergency services and digital inclusion
When councils and MNIPs work together, deployment accelerates, resilience improves and communities' benefit.
A Final Message: Partnership Is the Path Forward
2026 is a year for alignment - between MNIPs, MNOs, regulators, industry and all levels of government.
We all want the same outcomes:
faster deployment
better coverage for all communities
stronger resilience
and a digital infrastructure network that is fit for the future
If we get the policy settings right, Australia can build one of the most efficient, resilient and future‑ready digital infrastructure networks in the world.
Indara is ready to lead. We are ready to invest. And we are ready to partner.
Are you?
