Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards)

“It is also important to take note that the key players in the sector are right behind these changes. Organisations and bodies like the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, the Consumer Action Law Centre, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, the Australian Communications and Media Authority and the Communications Alliance are all on the same page. We're all fighting for this the same way. Everyone is on board, because even blind Freddy could see that things need to change. What we have now is just not good enough. It isn't working. As the old saying goes, if something isn't broken, don't fix it. But this system is broken. It is truly broken, and we are here to fix it. I've had constituents come to me feeling like they are being ripped off by their service providers, and constituents have told me that they pay for a service that does not always work and that they do not always get what they want from their service provider. As an Albanese Labor government, we are making this better. We will fix this problem. That's what this bill does. I commend the bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 26 Mar 2025

“The Albanese government's stated ambition is to make Australia the most connected continent. Minister Rowland has stated that this is not just about infrastructure. It also must come with the long-term interest of consumers, which is about safeguards as well, and this is the mechanism to achieve it. I congratulate the minister for all the extraordinary work she has achieved for our country. I commend the bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Mar 2025

“This is the gap that the bill is designed to close. It significantly strengthens the compliance and enforcement tools available to the regulators. It increases the maximum civil penalties the Federal Court can impose to equivalent of nearly $10 million today and introduces modernised penalty frameworks, allowing the court to set fines based on the benefit gained from the breach or a percentage of the provider's turnover, which is huge. That approach aligns telecommunications with sectors like banking and energy, where we already recognise that stronger penalties are necessary. And it makes the industry codes mandatory and directly enforceable.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 14 May 2026

“It is essential that all Australians, regardless of their individual circumstances, are able to access and use telecommunications services. Contemporary consumer safeguards and industry obligations should reflect the role of telecommunications as an essential service, especially as businesses, governments and other organisations increasingly shift to online interaction platforms. This bill strengthens the safeguards that protect consumers and cracks down on telecommunications providers who mistreat customers. It ensures telecommunications providers meet community expectations by acting in good faith, providing reliable services and supporting customers. If they don't do these things, they will be accountable to the regulator. These are important reforms, and I commend this bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 14 May 2026

“This bill is another way that the government is putting consumers at the centre of the telco industry. It's going to beef up enforcement and compliance. It's going to establish a carriage service provider registration scheme, increasing the visibility of the carriage service providers, and enable ACMA to stop providers operating in a market when it believes they pose an unacceptable risk to consumers or cause significant harm. It will increase the visibility in the market. No-one wants to get rid of the market, but we want to make sure that the market works better. It will provide improved pathways for ACMA and other government agencies to educate carriage service providers on their regulatory obligations and to streamline complaints and compliance processes. And I think it will create a better situation in terms of the market overall. We do live in a free enterprise economy, and we want to make sure that that market works for everyone fairly and justly. At the moment, it doesn't. Empowering ACMA, under this legislation, to take greater powers and greater tools to rebalance the unequal situation between consumers and telcos is a very important thing, and the legislation is a very worthy piece of legislation that deserves support.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Mar 2025

“The Albanese government is committed to keeping Australians connected no matter where they live, no matter their circumstances, and with this bill we are ensuring that the regulator is empowered, that industry codes are enforceable and that dodgy providers can be identified and can no longer slip through the cracks. It's about making sure consumers are protected and that there is trust in our telecommunications system. It's about delivering a telecommunications system that supports our families, our businesses and our communities. I commend the bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 01 Apr 2026

“Labor's competition and consumer agenda is an ambitious one. We make no apologies for that. We established the competition taskforce within Treasury, which has spearheaded the biggest reform of our merger laws in 50 years and a revamp of national competition policy, curtailing the abuse of non-compete clauses. There's work to deal with the problems that the supermarket duopoly can cause for both shoppers and suppliers. Labor's supermarket reforms are about ensuring a fairer deal for farmers and a fairer deal for families. This bill before the House is about ensuring a better deal for telecommunications customers. Everything this government does is focused on the best interests of Australians, and I commend the bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Mar 2025

“The reforms in this bill will change that. This bill empowers the telecommunications industry regulator, ACMA, with the tools it needs to protect consumers and to hold providers to account.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 09 Feb 2026

“This is the culmination of a very careful review of active stakeholder engagement and of decisive leadership. I pay credit to the minister, who has done an extraordinary amount of work in one term to reform these really important parts of her portfolio. We don't just talk about putting consumers first or at the forefront of our reforms; we legislate it too. This legislation is for every Australian that is connected by their phone or tablet. It's for a single mum in Gladesville trying to contact Centrelink or a small-business owner in Lane Cove who needs to be online all the time. It's for the elderly couple in Eastwood who need to use telehealth for their care. It's for every worker, parent and grandparent who relies on their phone or internet connection to stay informed, stay connected and engage in modern society. It's for people who cannot afford for the system to break down or can't afford for their complaints not to be dealt with. It's for the people who don't have the hours to sit on the phone on hold and fight long battles with telecommunication companies who sometimes don't do the best by their consumers. It's for people who just want a fair deal and decent service. This is another step in putting consumers at the heart of regulation that we do, and I commend the bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Mar 2025

“In 2026 the simple act of making a call, paying a bill online, making a GP appointment or checking in on a loved one depends on one thing: reliable telecommunications. When that connection fails and when Australians are misled, overcharged or ignored by the very companies they rely on, the consequences are very real. People can—and unfortunately do—lose their lives. That is why I rise to speak today in strong support of the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 14 May 2026

“That's where we get to this bill. It is so important, in that it will equip the telecommunications industry regulator with the tools and powers it needs to protect Australian consumers and to carry out its remit, so Australian consumers do not fall foul of poor and harmful telecommunications practices. Some of the measures this bill proposes include increasing the quantum of civil penalties that can be issued by the Federal Court for breaches of industry codes and standards. This is being increased by 40 times, from $250,000 to nearly $10 million, because bigger deterrents are needed. The bill also modernises the civil penalties framework to give the Federal Court options in relation to issuing fines for regulatory breaches. This can include three times the benefit gained from the regulatory breach, $10 million or 30 per cent of organisation turnover. Currently the civil penalties for breaches of industry codes and standards are not a deterrent. They are not commensurate with the harm caused. They are not high enough to deter noncompliance.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 04 Sept 2025

“I'm proud to rise to support the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025, and I'm proud to be part of a party that is committed to keeping Australians connected, no matter where they live.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 14 May 2026

“I also rise to speak in favour of the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025, which will give effect to a number of significant reforms to boost the enforcement powers and penalties available to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, or ACMA, and complement a host of other initiatives the government is taking to better protect consumers.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 26 Mar 2025

“Australians had a choice at the last election between two very different approaches: the Coalition, with weak protections, dodgy operators running riot and corporate lunches, and Labor, with tough enforcement, fair rules and protections that put families, workers and small businesses first. To no-one's surprise, they voted for a fair go. This legislation is doing just that—bringing fairness to the forefront, building trust among consumers and providing much-needed accountability. It is about putting people back at the heart of the telecommunications system. That's what the Albanese Labor government is delivering, and that's why I stand here proudly to commend this bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 04 Sept 2025

“Telecommunications is now such an important part of our lives and of our business that we can't work without it. Industry codes are directly enforceable by ACMA. This will enable ACMA to take immediate and appropriate action to address consumer concerns and complaints. It also provides incentives to industry compliance. There are civil penalties, and the courts can now issue breaches of key regulatory instruments, for the greater good of many people. It will expand and clarify authority to increase infringement notice penalties ACMA can issue for breaches in a short period of time. The current provisions are confusing. They do not allow the Minister for Communications to increase penalties in certain areas. These reforms go to the compliance and enforcement regime for consumers and for businesses and constitute a comprehensive package of improvements to those arrangements. This bill is a very important one to my community and I commend it to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 26 Mar 2025

“Reliable telecommunications are critical for access to employment, education, health care and other essential services. This bill complements those investments. As networks expand and improve, it is equally important that consumers are treated fairly and that providers meet clear standards of conduct. Australians should have confidence that the services they rely on are delivered responsibly. They should also have confidence that, when providers fail, there are real and enforceable consequences. This legislation reflects a clear commitment to putting consumers first. It strengthens safeguards, improves accountability and ensures telecommunications services meet the expectations of the people who depend on them every day. For these reasons, I commend the bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 14 May 2026

“I rise in support of the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025, and, in doing so, I very much acknowledge the work of the Minister for Communications, who is doing an incredible job in what is a very difficult and essential portfolio in an industry which is wracked with problems and which, really, I think has been allowed to get away with some unconscionable conduct. It is a credit to the minister that this bill forms a part of that general approach to fixing that essential service, and I very much think that she's really doing a fantastic job. In fact, she's far more diplomatic than I would be when talking about some of these telcos. I'll use her words, just in case I get a bit intemperate myself. She said:”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 13 May 2026

“I rise to speak in support of the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill. Every Australian deserves reliable, quality and affordable telecommunications no matter where they live. In 2026, connectivity is not just a nice-to-have. It's not a luxury. It's a necessity. In this day and age, we rely on communications for basic daily activities, like using a credit card or checking the news. Many of us rely on telecommunications to work, to get an education and to stay in touch with our loved ones. In rural and regional areas, many Australians even rely on telecommunications to see a doctor through telehealth. In 2026, a quality, reliable telecommunications service should be a given, and yet it isn't. That is unacceptable, and that's why we've brought forward this bill. This is yet another part of a bigger picture of bringing all telcos up to standard.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 01 Apr 2026

“Labor support the Australian public, we support consumers and we are committed to protecting consumers. I commend the Minister for Communications for bringing forward this important legislation. I commend the government for its ongoing commitment to protecting consumers. I urge all members of the House to support this bill.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Mar 2025

“Labor believe in fairness, we believe in accountability and we believe that no telco should get away with harming consumers for the sake of their bottom line. To those who have suffered from poor telco service, from unfair treatment, from outrageous penalties and from frustrating delays, this bill is for you. It is for the family who needs reliable internet for their child's education. It is for the small-business owner who cannot afford to lose another day of work due to service failures. It is for every Australian, as every Australian deserves to be treated with respect, and I urge all members in this parliament to support this bill and to stand with the millions of Australians who rely on their phone and internet services every day.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Mar 2025

“I rise today to speak on a matter which is critical to the lives of every single Australian, and it's a matter that goes directly to the heart of our government's values of fairness, accountability and trust. I am speaking in strong support of the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025. Enhancing consumer safeguards—that's what it's all about.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 04 Sept 2025

“We know how important NBN is to drive productivity, particularly for regional Australians who work from home, for our small businesses and to access telehealth and so much more. It's for this reason that, under the Albanese government, the NBN is not for sale. But those opposite might sell it off to the highest bidder. Labor built the NBN, just like we built Medicare, superannuation and the NDIS, and it is only Labor that you can trust to deliver better connectivity for all Australians. It's an essential part of keeping connected—having reliable affordable services for all of our telcos. You need reliable connectivity to run small businesses, to work from home or, when you are at a point of crisis and need to arrange support. When things go wrong, telcos have an obligation to support you and, if they don't, we are ensuring that there are consequences for them. This is what this bill will support, and this is why I'm so incredibly happy to support this fabulous bill.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 26 Mar 2025

“The Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 is a significant step towards achieving this commitment. The bill aims to amend the Telecommunications Act 1997 to establish a carrier service provider registration scheme, make industry codes directly enforceable by ACMA and amend existing arrangements relating to the application of penalty amounts for infringement notices and civil penalties. These amendments are designed to enhance consumer protections and ensure that telecommunications providers are held to the highest standards of service and accountability. The minister has reviewed the telecommunications consumer protection framework and has consulted with many stakeholders to make these changes.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Mar 2025

“Our government knows that staying connected is a critical part of life. The reforms proposed in the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 go to the compliance and enforcement regime for consumer safeguards and constitute a comprehensive package of improvements to those arrangements. They help to ensure the ACMA is an empowered and effective regulator and that appropriate incentive structures are in place to drive better behaviour by telcos.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 27 Mar 2025

“We have a right to ask the telecommunications companies to abide by this, because they've got bucketloads of money from us to set up mobile phone towers and they got bucketloads of money for the assets they hold when they sell in and out of spectrum. In some areas, there's a virtual monopoly on the provision of a mobile phone service. There has to be mandatory compliance with the industry codes that have been set up. There has to be, as this talks to, a proper infringement process if people decide there's a buck to be made by not abiding by the rules.”

National Party • MP • 27 Mar 2025

“This is an important step towards holding the telcos to account to industry standards, but I think what is missing from this legislation is a consideration of the standards themselves. As they currently stand, the bar is too low. We need to reassess the universal service obligation. The USO is the obligation for Telstra to ensure that standard telephone services are reasonably accessible to all people in Australia on an equitable basis, wherever they reside or carry on business, and to ensure that payphones are reasonably accessible to all people in Australia on an equitable basis, wherever they reside or carry on business. Rather than being maintained or improved, the quality of landline phone infrastructure is noticeably deteriorating, especially in rural areas of the electorate. In times of emergency, the consequence can be life threatening. Not only is Telstra failing in its universal service obligation of providing reasonable standard telephone services via landline phone connection, but it is also failing to provide a reliable and cost-effective alternative. Many people are forced to go to the more expensive Starlink satellite in the hope that it will prove to be reliable. This government must negotiate new terms that better reflect advances in technology. Telstra and, indeed, all providers need to be held to account and made to uphold these new universal service obligations.”

National Party • MP • 04 Sept 2025

“The coalition is supporting the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025. However, I have to note that it is disappointing that the bill has entered parliament on the eve of the election. Given this is a setting week that we weren't going to have—we all know the Prime Minister was planning to not have this week—it wouldn't have been introduced at all. The unfortunate reality is that it is unlikely to become law before the end of this parliamentary term.”

Liberal Party • MP • 26 Mar 2025

“This bill, along with the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025, seeks to provide critical reforms that will help prevent situations where consumers are put at risk or are not able to access the services that they need and should be able to rely on. The bill says it will create a register of all carriage service providers, giving ACMA full visibility of operators in the Australian market. It says it'll make compliance with industry codes mandatory and enforceable without the delays of the current two-step warning process. This is a good thing. If you can have light-handed, industry-led regulation, that's a great outcome, but not in all cases is that achievable. Making that a mandatory and enforceable industry code is a step in the right direction. Requiring providers to report cybersecurity incidents and take swift remedial action is an important reform, particularly in the age we live in, where a growing number of cybersecurity related breaches and threats posed to consumers, small businesses and lots of companies across the board that deal with sensitive consumer data is important. This bill says it will seek to increase penalties for breaches from $250,000 to $10 million, with the possibility of even higher fines based on the provider's turnover or benefit obtained from the breach.”

Liberal Party of Australia • MP • 09 Feb 2026

“The Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill creates a register of carriage service providers, enables the direct enforcement of an industry development code, increases the maximum penalty amount from $250,000 to $10 million and amends the existing two-step process for the application of penalty amounts for infringement notices. It's a bill which enjoys support across the parliament. Obviously, doing more to increase transparency to make sure that, where there are abuses, we can act upon them is something that everyone wants to see in this place. Anything which enhances consumer safeguards and does so in a way that is sensible and doesn't put a huge red-tape burden in place is obviously something that we would support.”

Liberal Party • MP • 26 Mar 2025

“When it comes to the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 that is before the House today, it's noteworthy that this bill will create a register of carriage service providers, enable the direct enforcement of industry codes, amend the existing two-step process for the application of penalty amounts for infringement notices and increase the maximum penalty amount for breaches of the codes from $250,000 to $10 million. Given the bill strengthens consumer protections, streamlines enforcement and provides greater visibility of operators in the market, it will receive support from the coalition.”

Liberal Party • MP • 01 Apr 2026