My ideal solution to VAST (which would require more than $10m I think!)
Launch a new Optus satellite with more transponder beams that only cover individual states and individual existing license areas. That way for example they could have the full suite of regional channels in every state covered in local transponder beams. No more need for the Remote Eastern Australia license area for example.
This may seem over the top and expensive and I’m not technically literate with satellite technology, but with the centralisation of playout for most regional networks out of Mediahub and the new joint-venture playout facility that Nine/Seven are launching - it should be relatively easy to get every localised version of a channel uplinked centrally.
By doing this there is then no need for the consumer to go through an approval process (red tape cost savings there too) as the localised channel you receive in your area terrestrially is also what you would then get via VAST so there is no need to protect local terrestrial networks anymore. Anyone can then go to their local Harvey Norman/JB Hifi/Big W etc and buy a box and dish and receive their local channels via satellite instead of terrestrial.
Also no need for all those local news channels anymore as you would just receive your local news on the local channel.