Anika Wells
Lilley · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Eight years ago, this parliament came together in a bipartisan effort to ban what was then the primary form of foreign lottery operations in our market: lottery betting services.”
“It will be up to online platforms to implement these restrictions, and, if they choose not to, then the rules are clear: they can't show gambling ads at any time, to anyone. Sport ban The government is determined to act on the nexus that has formed between our love of the game and the push to gamble.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The recent statutory review of BetStop the National Self-Exclusion Register, tabled in February 2026, found only one in four people are aware that BetStop exists. And among people who placed a bet in the last 12 months, it was still only one in three.”
“But this critical service can be even stronger and more effective. The world is changing rapidly, and gambling companies are taking advantage of this.”
“Placing an obligation on digital services, including search engines and app providers, to block access and advertising to illegal gambling services online. 4.”
“I move: That the bill be now read a second time. Introduction This bill will introduce a meaningful and impactful suite of reforms to protect Australians, particularly children and young people, from gambling harms.”
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“Over the past 12 months, the Albanese Labor government has been focused on delivery: tabling the rules, publishing the regulatory guidance, working with platforms to ensure compliance and delivering a national awareness campaign to help prepare parents, carers, teachers and students. We're doing our job of delivering and we stand ready to defend any legal challenges that come our way on behalf of the 120,000 Australian parents who asked us to pass this law and to protect their kids from the harms of social media. But while Labor delivers, the threats to these laws have come from parliamentarians who voted for these laws to happen. For the past six months, the shadow minister for communications and her far-right co-conspirators have done everything they can to erode trust in the law they passed.”
“I thank the member for Dickon for her question and for her ceaseless commitment to fighting for north-side parents and north-side children. Exactly one year ago today parliament responded to a call from more than 120,000 Australian parents fed up with the predatory grip that social media had on their children. Parliamentarians of all stripes put politics to one side and came together to prioritise the safety and the wellbeing of our kids. In doing so, we sent a strong message to Australian families: we hear you and we've got your back. And we sent a stronger message to the social media companies: time's up.”
“This bill will modernise Australia's universal service arrangements to provide equitable access to basic mobile coverage outdoors and provide all Australians greater access to essential telecommunications services, improving public safety and ensuring critical new technology is available as widely and as equitably possible. I commend the bill to the House. Debate adjourned.”
“As voice services will need to be supplied outdoors to fulfil the UOMO, the Emergency Call Service Determination 2019 will apply to mobile telecommunications services offered and supplied in compliance with the UOMO. Accordingly, this means the UOMO will support access to triple 0 regardless of the technology used to supply voice services to consumers. Public consultation on the exposure draft of the bill took place from 18 September 2025 to 19 October 2025. There were 88 submissions on the bill from industry, individuals, consumer representatives, and state and local governments. Submissions included the mobile network operators, Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, National Famers' Federation and ACCAN. The government has worked closely with stakeholders in drafting the bill, and I would like to thank them all.”
“While the UOMO provides the underlying framework for baseline connectivity that can support triple 0 access, the bill does not explicitly reference access to an emergency call service as a requirement for the mobile operators to meet the bill's objectives. This is because there is a longstanding requirement for providers of public mobile telecommunications services to provide equitable access to triple 0. This is governed by the rules set out in the Telecommunications (Emergency Call Service) Determination 2019, made under part 8 of the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999. Any voice services carried by public mobile telecommunications services are currently captured by the Emergency Call Service Determination 2019.”
“Part 1 also includes amendments to the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to provide ministerial powers to set standards, rules and benchmarks for UOMO services. Part 2 of the bill creates a separate additional ministerial power to set standards, rules and benchmarks relating to mobile services prior to the UOMO default commencement day if required. The ability to make standards is essential to ensure that the government can respond if the market fails to deliver quality or equitable mobile services. This is consistent with arrangements under the existing universal services framework.”
“Telstra has a commercial D2D SMS service available in Australia. Optus and TPG have announced plans to introduce D2D. Ultimately, the bill recognises D2D is still an evolving technology, which will become increasingly available. There are no financial impacts from this bill, though I note that the bill will enable the government to use funds in the Public Interest Telecommunications Services Special Account to support contracts or grants for the UOMO that maximise public interest outcomes. This will provide flexibility to deal with emerging issues after implementation and reflects the longstanding policy principle that the telecommunications industry should contribute to the costs of delivering universal telecommunications services.”
“The bill is technology neutral with mobile operators expected to leverage their existing and future terrestrial mobile infrastructure, as well as direct-to-device technology delivered by LEOsat platforms outside areas of mobile coverage. Terrestrial mobile coverage provides mobile phone connectivity through land based cellular antennae, connecting mobiles within the range of mobile phone infrastructure (such as mobile network towers). D2D uses LEOsats to provide mobile connectivity direct to mobile handsets. This requires a direct line of sight to the sky to enable handsets to communicate with the LEOsats, but does not require a fixed dish or base station at the consumer's end. Mobile operators are already considering and negotiating arrangements with direct-to-device providers.”
“The bill includes a default commencement date of 1 December 2027, at which time all three mobile network operators will be obligated to ensure that baseline mobile coverage is reasonably available outdoors throughout Australia. A default date provides a clear signal to the market of the importance of equitable and accessible outdoor mobile coverage, and that the intention of government is to see services provided as soon as feasible. However, the bill also creates a flexible framework where the scope and timing of the UOMO can be adjusted, by legislative instrument, in response to market readiness and extended as technology evolves. There is also flexibility in the bill to split the voice and SMS obligations should that be necessary due to market conditions at the commencement of the obligation.”
“At the time of commencement, the designated services will be voice and SMS. The UOMO will apply to the general Australian outdoor mobile coverage area, which includes all states and mainland territories, and the eligible external territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. This is the area in which mobile operators will be expected to provide mobile coverage to meet the obligation. There is one specified exception, being the Australian Radio Quiet Zone in Western Australia. The bill also provides the minister with power to determine an area via legislative instrument. This could be required if an area needed to be excluded from the UOMO, had specific needs or one mobile operator was unable to service it.”
“The Telecommunications Act 1997 provides it with powers to take enforcement action, including to investigate breaches, issue infringement notices, impose sanctions and penalties for noncompliance. ACMA would also be responsible for the enforcement of any UOMO standards, rules or benchmarks that may be applied to services. I note that ACMA already fulfils this role in relation to existing universal service arrangements. The bill includes a power for the minister to determine circumstances when it would not be reasonable to make mobile coverage available, or matters to which regard must, or must not, be had in determining whether mobile coverage is reasonably available outdoors. This part also incorporates designated mobile telecommunications services into the list of public interest telecommunications services.”
“The objective is to ensure mobile coverage is reasonably available outdoors to all people in Australia on an equitable basis. The concept of reasonableness deals with situations where it may not be possible for a mobile operator to supply a designated mobile service that provides mobile coverage at a particular area. There could be several reasons for this, such as technical limitations, temporary interruptions to the availability of wholesale services, temporary outages, and a choice by a consumer not to purchase an appropriate handset or plan to access UOMO services. The aim of the overarching obligation is that end-users of designated mobile telecommunication services can be used outdoors at locations where it is reasonable to expect them to be able to be used. ACMA will be responsible for the enforcement of the UOMO.”
“This bill extends the existing universal services framework, which currently encompasses the reasonable provision of fixed voice services and pay phones, to include outdoor mobile services. It will apply to all three national mobile operators—Telstra, Optus and TPG. There is one schedule to the bill, comprising two parts which together amend the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 (TCPSS Act) to incorporate the UOMO into the existing universal service regime. The bill also makes minor amendments to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and the Telecommunications Act 1997. Part 1 of the bill sets out measures to extend the existing universal services regime outlined in the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999 to include the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation.”
“Additionally, the Albanese government's $68 million package of measures to support First Nations digital inclusion will further contribute to improving digital participation in First Nations communities—a critical step towards achieving target 17 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The new baseline connectivity, which will be delivered by the UOMO, will help improve public safety and mean better access to emergency services and support, particularly in regional and remote areas outside terrestrial mobile coverage where no access to triple 0 is possible unless people are calling from a home phone. Turning to the specifics of the bill, the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025 establishes the framework for the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation.”
“This plan includes successful initiatives like the Mobile Black Spot Program, the Mobile Network Hardening Program, the Regional Connectivity Program, the On Farm Connectivity Program and the Broadcasting Resilience Program. We have also provided significant funding to upgrade the NBN in regional, rural and remote Australia, including upgrading fixed line areas with more resilient fibre services and expanding the fixed wireless footprint. NBN Co's partnership with Amazon's Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, will ensure city-quality broadband is available within the NBN's satellite footprint.”
“Some would say we should wait until the technology is widely available before legislating the UOMO. But to wait would mean leaving rollout decisions to industry alone, and risk some Australians being left behind. The Albanese government is legislating the UOMO now to ensure baseline mobile coverage is widely available, and available as quickly as possible. The UOMO is not about replacing traditional mobile coverage with new technology. It will complement existing networks so that we cover as much of Australia as possible and enable the community to benefit from new technology. The government will continue to invest in communications infrastructure and resilience in regional and rural Australia, including through the $1.1 billion Better Connectivity Plan.”
“Many thought it would never be possible to deliver mobile coverage across Australia's vast inland areas, but the advent of new Low Earth Orbit Satellite (LEOSat) direct-to-device technology will make it possible. Within the next couple of years, direct-to-device—or 'D2D'—coverage will be able to provide baseline outdoor coverage in areas outside terrestrial coverage, allowing people to seek help if they are lost, injured or facing natural disasters in areas without traditional terrestrial mobile coverage. As National Farmers Federation President, Hamish McIntyre, has said today: 'This is a world-first policy and we could become the gold standard for regional communications.' This is our goal and that's why we have introduced this legislation.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The Albanese government is committed to keeping Australians connected. We believe in a simple principle: no-one held back and no-one left behind. Access to telecommunications is not a luxury; it is an essential service that underpins public safety. Australians rely on mobile phones for their connectivity more than ever. However, Australia's longstanding Universal Service Obligation does not include mobile services. The Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation will change that. For the first time, our national mobile network operators, Telstra, Optus and TPG, will need to provide reasonable access to outdoor baseline mobile coverage across Australia on an equitable basis. This will initially require providers to support voice and SMS services.”
“Fifteen-year-old Peyton said: 'I actually think it's a good thing, and you'd be surprised by how many teenagers my age and younger think that too, because it will help reduce cyberbullying and it will protect our mental health. It will be hard at first, but, in the long run, it will be good for us.' Seventeen-year-old Hayden said: 'This law is a brilliant step forward to reclaim the wellbeing of young Australians in their developmental years. Australia continues to be a trailblazer here.' Hayden and Peyton, I couldn't agree more. Despite the fact that we are receiving threats and legal challenges from people with ulterior motives, the Albanese government remains steadfastly on the side of parents and not of platforms. We will not be intimidated by threats. We will not be intimidated by legal challenges.”
“We have invested more than $10 million in a national advertising campaign. In the five weeks since that campaign started we have seen a 1,441 per cent increase in online traffic, with almost 600,000 Australians accessing the helpful resources on eSafety's website. I have spoken to young people from the member for Clark's electorate in Tasmania, from the member for Maribyrnong's electorate in Victoria, from the member for Bean's electorate and all the way across to the member for Forrest's electorate in Western Australia, and we have answered their genuine questions about the law. After we sat down and spoke, here is what some of them said.”
“I thank the member for Bean for his question and for his help in introducing me to the tremendous students of St Mary MacKillop College here in Canberra. Today marks two weeks until the minimum age to have a social media account in Australia rises to 16. Australian parents are ready. Australian parents are ready for a break from the predatory algorithms and the toxic popularity meters that keep their kids doomscrolling for hours on end. They are ready for kids to have the opportunity to switch off and to build their identity offline. Parents are ready not to be the bad guys when they tell their children that they can't have social media because it is the law. We have always said that there will be challenges on 10 December, which is why the Albanese government has been on a mission to build awareness and trust in this law.”
“Whether they get their start on the ABC, on a free-to-air broadcast, on an Australian streamer like Stan or a global streamer like Netflix, this legislation means there will be more opportunities for our future icons. It means Australia's production sector will continue to grow. It means that, no matter where they watch, every Australian will be able to see Australian stories on their screens.”
“The legislation delivers on our commitment in the National Cultural Policy—Revive to set local content requirements for streaming services. It recognises that Australia's people and their stories are our greatest cultural asset. The goal of this legislation is simple: we want Australians to be able to see Australian stories, no matter where they choose to watch. We want Australia's screen sector to thrive. We want to see new technology bring opportunities for Australian producers, writers and actors, and the many crew members who help bring a show together. In July I watched Australian icon Magda Szubanski be inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame. I looked around the room wondering where our next Aussie icon will come from.”
“Some streaming services will already be meeting the future obligations, while others will need to spend more money than they currently are. Any services operating in Australia that are not currently commissioning Australian content will need to start doing so in order to meet their obligations under the new requirements. These requirements are the outcome of a lot of consultation with streaming services, broadcasters, producers and creators. I thank everyone who participated in the consultation process and those who have engaged with me and my team since I became Minister for Communications in May. The requirements in this bill will give vital support to our domestic screen sector and our arts workers, by ensuring that quality local stories continue to be produced in Australia.”
“The more shows that are produced in Australia, the more Australia's production sector will grow. That's why we are legislating that streaming services in Australia with one million or more Australian subscribers will need to invest at least 10 per cent of their total expenditure for Australia, with 7.5 per cent of their revenue to go on new, local content. Eligible content includes drama, children's, documentary, arts and educational programs. Total program expenditure includes expenditure for all eligible programs available on a regulated streaming service for its Australian service, except news or sports programs. This includes an Australian portion of programs that are globally commissioned or licensed.”
“Once they are done, they release that show out into the world, and families across Australia and the world do exactly the same. Not only is that little Aussie blue heeler the most streamed show in Australia; it is topping the US charts. Driving around Brisbane you see inspiration for Bluey everywhere, from New Farm Park to the Brisbane Powerhouse and in our weekend sausage runs to Bunnings. When I sat down with Charlie and Dan from Ludo, along with Matt and Jane from the Screen Producers Association, they told me that putting a local content requirement in place for streaming services was critical. I want to thank the Bluey team, especially Charlie and Dan, for sharing their story with me. They told me that the shows they produce today are the ecosystem of tomorrow's creators and producers.”
“Who would we be without the people of Summer Bay and Ramsay Street, or without McLeod's Daughters , Offspring or Blue Heelers ? Shows like these have been central to our cultural identity. Until now, no requirements have existed for streaming services. In October I had the opportunity to visit a beloved Australian production in my home town of Brisbane, Bluey . The Ludo crew showed me, along with my twins, the incredible craftmanship they put into every episode. They even let the twins have a hand at helping the animation team and tried out a suggestion from Dash to turn Bluey's fur from her famous blue to red. From script to storyboard, animation and sound design, Bluey isn't just a show to the Ludo team; it is a labour of love. At the end of every week they sit down as a team to watch the episode they have made together.”
“Kitty Flanagan's Fisk on the ABC was the standout at this year's Logie Awards, winning in five categories. It's the ABC that does the heavy lifting on Australian children's content, investing $21 million last financial year. Australian content quotas for commercial television were first introduced in the 1960s to ensure that Australians had access to stories and could see their culture, language and values reflected on screen. Since then, Australian content has thrived on these networks. In 2024 the Nine Network reported an average of 81 per cent Australian programs across its primary metropolitan channels. The Seven Network reported 77 per cent and Network 10 reported 64 per cent. Shows like Home and Away and Neighbours have helped shape Australia today.”
“While many streamers are producing great content, we want every streamer to be doing their fair share to help our Australian production sector to grow and to thrive. Australian content requirements on our public and commercial free-to-air broadcasters have been in place for over 65 years. The ABC Charter requires the ABC to broadcast programs that contribute to Australia's sense of national identity, inform and entertain and reflect the cultural diversity of the community. Last financial year, they more than met this requirement, investing $147 million in Australian content. The ABC is the largest commissioner of Australian scripted content, partnering with the independent production sector to bring the best and most ambitious Australian drama and comedy to TV screens.”
“More importantly, they've provided a new place for Australian content to flourish. This was clear at this year's Logie Awards, where shows like The Twelve on Binge and Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix were winners, alongside content from our Australian broadcasters. The success of these shows demonstrate how powerful Australian content is also good business for streamers. It is important for Australians to see themselves on screen. It helps us to better understand our neighbours and ourselves, and it allows the world to better see us. Australian stories help shape our national identity, define who we are and make us recognisable on the international stage. We need more shows like these.”
“With this bill, we deliver on that commitment, making sure that Australians, no matter where they choose to watch their media, have access to Australian content. Australians are embracing new ways of watching media, including through online subscription services like Netflix and Amazon. In any given week in 2024, 63 per cent of Australians used a streaming platform to watch their shows and movies, while 70 per cent watched on free-to-air platforms, either broadcast on their TV or through an app or website. Younger people are more likely to watch on streaming services, with 76 per cent of people aged 25 to 34 using a streaming service. Streamers have brought rich and entertaining content from overseas to Australia—shows like T he Diplomat , The Summer I Turned Pretty and Yellow j ackets .”
“Australian stories matter. They reflect the community we live in, they show us the faces that look like us and they put Australian culture and creativity on our screens. No-one knows this better than the first storytellers, the First Nations Australians, who have been passing their stories through the generations for over 60,000 years. The Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand (Streaming) Services) Bill 2025, led by the Minister for the Arts, requires for the first time that streaming services invest in local Australian content. This is a commitment we made in the National Cultural Policy, and the Prime Minister recommitted to it during the election.”
“I've had meetings with harm-reduction advocates, broadcasters and sporting codes as we seek to further minimise the harms of gambling, and I have not met with any gambling companies.”
“Thank you very much for the question, Member for Ryan. As you would have heard before, the government has delivered the most significant online-wagering harm-reduction initiatives of the past decade, including launching BetStop and banning the use of credit cards for online wagering. BetStop is the most significant gambling reform of the past decade, and it was this government, the Albanese government, that delivered these reforms. We're really proud of the positive impact that they're having. I am pleased to inform the House of Representatives that BetStop has now officially reached 51,079 registrations, and 38 per cent of those registering have chosen a lifetime ban. That is over 50,000 people who have been able to block access to all phone and online gambling providers.”
“It will give young people like Flossie and her schoolmates three more years to build their community and their resilience in the real world, to become the best version of themselves and to find out who they are before platforms assume who they are. And it will give parents like Flossie's mum, Romany, a bit of peace of mind that their child isn't the odd one out in their class because they don't have social media. Because from 10 December nobody under 16 should have a social media account.”
“Flossie's findings were backed up by Dr Lila, who shared that young brains are particularly vulnerable to social media because they're developing brains and they're going through a huge rewiring process, learning how to navigate the world and be the best versions of themselves. During these vulnerable times, young people are driven to doing risky things that feel good. They learn, 'if I behave this way, people will like me, and if I behave this way, people won't like me.' That's necessary to becoming a fully functioning adult, but, because young brains are so attuned to needing social approval, they're more likely to be influenced by the content that they are consuming. That is exactly why, last year, the Albanese government legislated a minimum age to access social media accounts.”
“The motivation for her assignment was to help her schoolfriends better understand the evidence behind our social media minimum age laws, to show that parliament didn't just increase the minimum age because we're all old and boring and out of touch, but because we want what's best for them. In her research with Dr Lila, Flossie found out about the dopamine loop. Dopamine is a hormone that makes you happy, and it triggers your reward system. Flossie found the problem with social media is that it's like we're hooked up to a dopamine drip, getting constant hits, watching videos and getting likes and comments. But this is bad for our brains, because we get used to feeling happy all of the time, and it can make real life feel boring.”
“I thank the member for Spence for his question and his commitment to keeping South Australian kids safe online. Delaying access to social media until the age of 16 will protect young Australians at a critical stage of their development. Don't just take my word for it—last sitting week, the PM and I met with 12-year-old Florence from the Friends' School in Hobart, her mum, Romany, and her idol and mentor, neuroscientist Dr Lila Landowski. Last term, Flossie did a school assignment on the scientific understanding of brain development through neuroscience prompts.”
“There is a place for social media, but there is not a place for predatory algorithms, harmful content and toxic popularity meters to continue to cause our children harm.”
“At Australia's United Nations event, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said she was inspired by Australia's bold move to introduce the ban and has created a taskforce to see how that same law could apply to the EU. As the president said, parents, not algorithms, should be raising our children. The Republican Governor of Utah, who I met a few weeks ago, said he is cheering on Australia. Even Piers Morgan has backed our laws, saying, 'The Aussies have it right.' Online platforms can target children with chilling control, and now we are mandating that they use that same technology to give children three more years to build resilience. The Albanese government will never back down from this fight. We are on the side of parents, not platforms.”
“Today, alongside the eSafety Commissioner, I confirmed for parents the nine platforms that must take action to remove underage accounts from 10 December—YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, Kick, X and Threads. We know social media is doing social harm, and we are calling time on it for kids. We want kids to have three more years to build resilience in the real world. We are not chasing perfection; we are chasing a meaningful difference. This law is world-leading, and now countries across the world are following our lead. Denmark, Greece, Romania, France and our friends across the pond in New Zealand are all introducing a minimum age for social media.”
“I thank the member for Bendigo for her question and for her genuine commitment to delivering future-facing policy for all of the young people that she represents in her beautiful part of the woods. Protecting children in a digital age is a challenge that is confronting the world. Predatory algorithms, harmful content and toxic popularity meters are targeting children at a critical stage of their development. The Albanese government understands the need to be on the front foot on this rising threat with decisive and comprehensive action. We are implementing world-leading reforms to reduce online harms experienced by young Australians, including delivering historic legislation to delay access to social media until the age of 16.”
“Thank you very much for the question. This is something that the Minister for the Arts and I have been working on together. We agree that local content quotas are very important and that our commitment to the Australian industry, both in communications and in arts, is important. We'll continue to do that work and we'll give you an update as soon as we can.”
“Thank you to the Leader of the Opposition for her question. I will deal with various elements of it. With respect to penalties, as I said in my previous answer, there is a bill before the House, the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025. It's an amendment to the Telecommunications Act. It was introduced on 28 August. It was debated on 4 September. The shadow minister for communications herself debated this bill on 4 September.”
“Thank you for the question. All of the matters that have been raised today are a matter of public record and have been a matter of public record for more than two weeks. They were declared by the regulator, Nerida O'Loughlin, and me at a press conference. That press conference transcript is available on my website. It has been available for more than two weeks. This issue is not about emails. Hopefully we can all agree about that. This is fundamentally about Optus's failure to manage its network and to meet its legal obligations. My job as minister is to improve the system, to work for Australians and to deliver maximum safety and public confidence.”
“Of course, I will absolutely meet with affected families if that's what they wish. I am respecting their space. There are many sensitivities here, and I'm not going to make their lives harder by politicising their grief in this place as you have now done two days in a row.”
“As I said in an earlier answer, the information that Optus provided to my office on 18 September was that there had been a minor outage that affected 10 calls, that it had been resolved and, most importantly, that there were no adverse impacts on any persons. With respect to the more catastrophic outage that affected 631 calls, potentially with links to three deaths—potentially four deaths, as we found out on Saturday—I inquired as to the correct process for dealing with families in this situation. I was advised that emergency services is the correct and proper agency that we use to reach out, so that's what happened. I also spoke to the premiers of South Australia and Western Australia, the Chief Minister of the NT and numerous other people across that weekend as we all worked on our collective response.”
“I thank the shadow minister for communications for her question. I'm sure, as the shadow minister for communications, she would recall that, a few sitting weeks ago, we introduced enhancing consumer safeguards legislation to this place, where we enhanced penalties for telcos doing the wrong thing by 40 times. So penalties are now up to $10 million and more in particular situations. So I believe—and, I believe, with her support—this House is already considering penalties. I offer, in good faith, that, if that is a live issue for you, given this bill is before the House, we can continue to work on penalties where it is already tabled in the House. I'm done.”
“I thank the member for Mallee for her question. The information that Optus provided to my office on 18 September was that there had been a minor outage, that it had affected 10 calls, that it had been resolved, and, most importantly, that there had been no adverse impacts on any person. My office sought assurance that ACMA had been informed, ensuring that the regulator was investigating that incident, and ACMA has publicly confirmed that they were informed.”
“I am led by Australians, by telco customers and by ensuring that this system is as safe as it possibly can be and ensuring that all telcos, including Optus, treat this as too important to fail.”