Scams Prevention Framework

“This Bill sets out what we must do at home.”

Australian Labor Party • Senator • 11 Feb 2025

“People in my community want tough action to protect their money and prevent crime. They want information. They want these laws delivered in the fight against scammers. I urge the parliament to do the right thing by the people in my community, whether they live in Ipswich or the Somerset region or around Karana Downs. I want this whole parliament to support this legislation to ensure consumers get the protection they need as soon as possible. I commend the bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 05 Feb 2025

“The Scams Prevention Framework has been forged in consultation with industry, with the regulated entities that I have referred to. It's not the intention of this bill to scapegoat or target regulated entities through obligations provided to them. This can't happen, because, as a government, we know that these entities are essential to winning the fight against scammers. That's why the obligations that will be applied to banks, telcos, digital platforms and other regulated entities to combat scams will be tailored to the sector they're in to both match the operations of a regulated entity and better suit the scams these obligations are trying to mitigate. I commend this bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 06 Feb 2025

“These laws are very welcome. They are welcome because we need to put laws in place to be able to make it difficult for scammers. We know that we'll never get rid of them completely because they are very elaborate and, with the intricate computer systems et cetera, we know that they will just keep on morphing into something new.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 06 Feb 2025

“For years, the response to scams has been fragmented. Protections have varied across industries, and, while some sectors have taken steps to improve, others have lagged behind. This piecemeal approach has left Australians vulnerable and has created an environment where scammers can operate willy-nilly. The inconsistencies in how industries respond to scams mean that whether or not you are protected can depend more on luck than any systemic safeguard. This legislation changes that. The Scams Prevention Framework introduced in the bill is the first economy-wide reforms designed to tackle scams comprehensively.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 05 Feb 2025

“With this legislation and other actions, we're saying enough is enough. We just simply cannot let scammers get away with their criminal activities, which are, as I mentioned, depriving Australians of their hard-earned cash. Losing retirement savings is particularly crushing. We're creating a framework that ensures that companies do their bit to protect Australians, and this world-leading Scams Prevention Framework legislation will put obligations on sectors to prevent, detect, disrupt and respond to scammers.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 06 Feb 2025

“This is the start. There is work to do throughout the year once this bill is passed, and I hope it will be. What this bill does do is ensure that we deliver on the pre-election promise that we made, including to the people of the Hawkesbury at the forum at the Windsor Wolves footy club that the Assistant Treasurer attended. We made a promise that we would do everything we could to protect the community from scammers. This is a really significant step that gives Australia a world-leading framework to be able to do just that—to keep consumers safe.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 05 Feb 2025

“This legislation is world leading. The Assistant Treasurer highlighted Australia's leadership of this issue when he attended the first Global Fraud Summit, in March 2024, and this bill reflects Australia's commitment to working with international partners on fighting scams. At the heart of this legislation is our determination to better protect consumers. We are determined to make Australia a harder target for scammers. Australians deserve to be able to participate in the digital economy safely and with confidence. The bill gives consumers additional peace of mind, knowing they have both strengthened protections and avenues for dispute resolution if required if it all goes bad.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 05 Feb 2025

“This bill is designed to address head-on the issues that I have mapped out by introducing this comprehensive framework that will prevent, detect and combat scams in our country. I know I'm going to run out of time for a lot of the detail of the bill, and I appreciate many of my colleagues having gone through that previously, but I cannot stress enough the importance of strengthening the regulatory environment. This is a bill that has undergone a lot of consultation, and it is now incumbent on this parliament to provide passage of this legislation so that we can really start swinging into action on this issue. We shouldn't be waiting another single day to get this through this House. We want to be very proactive about consumer protection in Australia, and we want to be proactive about the education that we should be providing to consumers now.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 06 Feb 2025

“I want people in my community to have increased confidence that this is something our government is bringing a huge amount of attention to. With this bill, we are saying that more must be done to combat scams, to keep Australians safe and to make sure that others do not end up in the position of Doris in my community and that others do not fall victim to scams that mean they lose their life savings. This is really important work, and it is, of course, the work that a Labor government does to make sure that our communities are safe and fair for all.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 06 Feb 2025

“I know this is really welcomed by my community in Chisholm. People frankly have had enough of being targeted by scammers, and it seems to come sometimes from all directions, as we've described in our comments—the government's contribution. This is something that people are experiencing on social media, via phone calls and via emails. I'm really proud to be part of a government that is taking serious action to protect our communities from the despicable actions of scammers, and I commend the bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 05 Feb 2025

“So it's great to see that this piece of legislation will give consumers more access to a single front door where they can report the loss and be supported in the process of trying to recover those funds. I think that's really important. I think the framework is really important. I think it sends a really strong message to those involved: to the banks, to the telcos and to the social media businesses.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 06 Feb 2025

“This bill we're considering today constitutes a start, albeit a slow and unambitious start. It's perhaps one indicative of this entire government's approach to leading Australia but one which hopefully will, if nothing else, rob us of the title of global scams' honey pot.”

Liberal Party • MP • 06 Feb 2025

“Whilst the Greens are supporting this bill in the House, as we recognise Australia urgently needs regulation to combat scams, we urge Labor to prioritise the interests of people, not multibillion-dollar corporations, by amending the bill to include a presumption of reimbursement and ensuring that offshore tech companies are held to account.”

Australian Greens • MP • 06 Feb 2025

“Individual stories tell us a lot. They tell us about the sophistication. We need to make sure we do more. I would like to thank CHOICE and the Consumer Action Law Centre, who have relentlessly advocated on behalf of scam victims. We know we can do more. I will support this legislation—as amended, when I do so in the consideration in detail stage—but I urge the government and the opposition to keep a vigilant eye to make sure compensation for victims improves in Australia.”

Independent • MP • 06 Feb 2025

“The government's proposed Scams Protection Framework is well-intentioned and is a step in the right direction, but it falls down on this question of dispute resolution, which is, after all, the touchstone of protection from scams.”

Independent • MP • 05 Feb 2025

“That said, while this bill is far from perfect, Australians simply cannot afford to wait any longer for some protections against scams that are escalating in scale, sophistication and devastation. I am inclined, for that reason, to support this iteration of the bill, but it is clear that this legislation alone is not enough.”

Independent • MP • 05 Feb 2025

“In conclusion, I appreciate the minister's engagement with me personally on this issue and with the crossbench on the government's broad response to scamming. I recognise the importance of introducing an overarching framework and proposed industry codes for banks, telcos and digital platforms. It's absolutely a great start, but it doesn't focus on the experience of the victim enough. In the context of a complicated and evolving space, while scammers continue to innovate, the framework still ensures the onus is on consumers to navigate that system and prove that the bank, telco or digital platform failed them. Shifting this onus onto the companies with the information and the scale would create better incentives for companies to continue to innovate on how they prevent scams. But, in the spirit of pragmatism, this framework is better than nothing, and it's definitely an improvement on the existing approach. I won't let the perfect be an enemy of the good, and on that basis I will be supporting this legislation. But there is a clear opportunity there, perhaps in the future, to make this go further to protect Australians better.”

Independent • MP • 06 Feb 2025

“The Scams Prevention Framework Bill 2024 is a good step forward. It places clear responsibilities on businesses, banks, telcos and digital platforms to detect, prevent and report scams. It introduces civil penalties of up to $50 million for companies that fail to protect their customers. This is important, because we know that the private sector plays a huge role in preventing scams. When financial institutions fail to detect fraud, scammers win. When social media platforms fail to shut down fake accounts, scammers win. When telcos allow scam calls and messages to flood our phones, scammers win. This bill sends a clear message. It is no longer enough to say, 'It's not our responsibility.' Businesses must be part of the solution.”

Independent • MP • 06 Feb 2025