A recent report has ranked Australia at the bottom of a list of 36 developed countries over broadband affordability. The recent report indicates that Australia officially has the priciest broadband internet amongst OECD nations, raising concerns over the country’s $51billion NBN.

Point Topic, a UK-based broadband market analytics firm recently released the report. This followed Labor’s request from the federal Parliamentary Library to provide this year’s second-quarter data from the firm. The report ranked 36 members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, representing the developed world, according to entry-level fixed-broadband affordability.

The wider scope of the list included 83 countries where the country place 67th along with countries like Colombia, Saudi Arabia, and Senegal. However, Point Topic noted on its website that the figures presented are one set of metrics that measure only a single aspect of broadband markets. Because of this, the firm warns against drawing isolated conclusions based on the report.

In Australia, consumers are charged between $40 to $45 a month for 12 megabits per second in a broadband connection.

Michelle Rowland, a spokesperson for Labor’s communications, called for the prioritization of making entry-level broadband affordable to consumers.

“Given the concerns of the ACCC, consumer groups, and this recent Point Topic data, ensuring entry-level broadband prices are affordable should be a priority,” AAP reported her saying last Wednesday.

The spokeswoman slammed the government for acting as a “bystander” as she called for action regarding the matter.

“It’s time the government stopped playing the role of a disingenuous bystander that is conveniently uninterested in the problems they have created, and instead demonstrated some leadership in addressing these challenges,” Rowland said.