Dan Repacholi
Hunter · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“It's practical and it's most certainly overdue I want to spend a bit more time on why this transparency matters in the real world. When people cannot see the cost up front, they're making decisions in the dark. They might pick the first specialist they referred to without knowing that there are more affordable ones right near them.”
“He said to me, 'I just want to focus on getting better and not having to worry about the bill.' This is the kind of uncertainty that is not accidental. When more of the burden is pushed onto individuals and people are expected to navigate the costs on their own, this is exactly what happens.”
“We tried that, and it simply didn't work. Out of thousands of eligible specialists, only a handful chose to share their fees. That is not transparency. That is a system that leaves patients in the dark. This bill fixes it by using data we already have—medical data, hospital billing data, insurer data.”
“If we make the system clearer, simpler and easier to understand, we remove more barriers. We make it more likely that they will actually take that next step, book the appointment, follow through with treatment and get checked early instead of late. That saves lives. And it's not just about physical health.”
“I've spoken to a family in Singleton whose teenage daughter needed a specialist consultation. They were trying to do the right thing, following the medical advice they were given, and get Olivia the care she needed, but they were given very little clarity on the cost.”
“They can see whether a doctor participates in gap-cover arrangements. They can understand what their insurer is likely to cover. This is common sense. It's something that people expect. This bill also provides transparency around hospitals and insurers. It will show which doctors operate at which facilities.”
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“One of the biggest deterrence for men getting checked for prostate cancer, one of our biggest killers of men, is no longer necessary. We also need to look after our mental health. I know talking about our feelings is not something that comes naturally to everybody, especially men, but we need to normalise opening up and lightening the load that is weighing us down. Seventy per cent of suicides in Australia are men. Something isn't right. If you're struggling, talk to somebody. There's always somebody who will listen. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel, even if there are times when you don't see it. Check in on your mates. Give them a call. Catch up for a beer or a coffee or even just send them a text message. Small things can make a big difference in so many people's lives.”
“Book it in every year on your birthday. See the doctor when your car goes in for a pink slip. If your car needs a regular check-up, we do as well. And, when something does not feel right, even if you saw your doctor last month, make another appointment. If we have an issue with our car, we take it straight to the mechanic, but, when we're sick or something doesn't feel right, we wait until an arm is about to fall off before we book an appointment with our GP. That doesn't make sense. Our health is so important. Going to a doctor could save our life. An important part of my role is debunking some of the big myths in men's health. For example, you no longer need a finger up the bum to see if you have prostate cancer. It can now be done by a simple blood test.”
“Health is an issue impacting men across this country. It's no secret that men face significant health challenges, but we don't talk about men's health as much as we should. We need to do better at looking after our health, and that starts by men actually having conversations about it. Whether it's heart health, prostate, testicles, erectile dysfunction, mental health or even the common cold, men often don't take our health seriously. This means that men are dying when they don't need to. One of the easiest ways for men to get on top of their health is to book a regular check-up with their GP. Whenever I'm speaking to a room full of men, I say, 'Put your hand up if you've seen your GP in the last 12 months.' Usually, not many hands go up at all. So we need to make it a habit to get a regular check-up.”
“I move: That this House: (1) acknowledges that: (a) too many Australian men are struggling with their health in silence, with outdated stereotypes stopping them from seeking support; and (b) suicide rates among men remain far too high; (2) recognises that the Government is delivering real support to men and boys by strengthening Medicare and investing $32 million in targeted men's health initiatives, including: (a) $11.3 million for Movember to train 60,000 primary health workers and encourage men to visit the doctor; and (b) $20.7 million for grassroots mental health support, including expanded funding for Men's Sheds, Ahead of the Game, Healthy Male, and the Danny Frawley Centre; (3) notes that this builds on the Government's broader investments of: (a) $8.5 billion to strengthen Medicare; (b) $11.6 million in men's health funding in the 2024-25 budget; and (c) $1 billion for mental health, including more headspace centres and more trained mental health professionals; and (4) welcomes the Government's commitment to breaking down stigma, supporting better health outcomes for men and boys, and building a stronger, fairer, healthier Australia for everyone.”
“All the best, Terry. Congratulations on an incredible 40 years. It takes hard work, commitment and sacrifice to run a business, and the 40 years your business was open is testament to this. You've helped shape the community of Singleton. John Street won't be the same without you, especially without Singleton Hi-Fi. It'll be missed by many. You've earned your retirement, Terry. Enjoy it, and have a great time. To all the other small businesses in the Hunter: thank you for what you do. Thank you for employing the fantastic residents of the Hunter. You pay your taxes, employ people and keep the area going. Thank you for everything you do. Keep up the great work, and we'll always support you along the way.”
“Small businesses and their owners are the backbone of our communities. We get to know them and they get to know us. One of Singleton's best-known retailers is Singleton Hi-Fi, and it's closing down after 40 years of trading on John Street. Singleton Hi-Fi was the go-to store for sound buffs and those seeking all the latest technology in visual and audio equipment. The store always had the leading edge. It once was the only place where you could buy a mobile phone in town; now a mobile phone is something we can't live without. As the countdown to the final day approaches, Singleton Hi-Fi is discounting its remaining floor stock. Get out there one last time, people of Singleton, and support them. Owner Terry Ellis said that, after 40 years, it's time to move on to his retirement and work more on his Mount Olive property.”
“Initial Response Group and LJ Hooker Cessnock were both named finalists for the top Business of the Year award. Make sure you get out and support our local businesses. They are the lifeblood of our local communities. Congratulations to all the winners and those who were highly commended. Keep up the good work. Thank you to the event organisers for putting on a fantastic event. It was a pleasure to be there. I'm looking forward to going to next year's awards.”
“Initial Response Group provides specialist training and safety services focused on preparing individuals and organisations for effective responses in emergency or critical situations. In the category of New Start business, Confetti Finance was 'highly commended'. Bryan Hampton from Vintage Connections was 'highly commended' in the category of Customer Service - Individual. Young Entrepreneur of the Year was a big category for the Hunter, with Aleesha Hardie from OAR Holistic Beauty & Wellness receiving 'highly commended' and Alice Farrelly from Reformed Bookkeeper announced as the winner. Hunter locals also featured heavily in the category Business Woman of the Year. Julie Newman from Hunter Valley Tours was 'highly commended' and Kurri local Lee-Anne McAllister from McAllister Legal Services was awarded winner.”
“Bryce and Mellissa Gibson do an amazing job and are always actively engaged in our community through fundraising initiatives and local events. In the Hospitality and Tourism category, Our Italian Table in Pokolbin was 'highly commended'. The General Business award went to Dragonfly Cakes at Weston, owned by Fiona Campbell. Fiona specialises in creating bespoke wedding cakes and event cakes with a strong focus on weddings. Each cake is made from scratch using premium ingredients. If you're looking for the perfect cake to match the perfect event, this is the place to go. I was grateful to present the awards in the category of Health Services. The clear winner this year was Initial Response Group, run by Dan and Emma Coutts.”
“I had the privilege of attending the 30th Hunter Region Business Excellence Awards. What a night it was! Businesses in the Hunter electorate absolutely dominated the stage, taking home loads of awards. Today I want to recognise and congratulate our local winners. Running a business is never easy, and the recognition that comes with these awards is well deserved. The Access and Inclusion award went to Hunter Valley Tours, operated by Julie Newman. Julie started her tour business in 2015 as the first Hunter tour business to provide access for those with mobility issues. Because of Julie, everyone can enjoy wine tours of the beautiful Hunter Valley. In the category of Home Based business, Outback Jess was 'highly commended'. In the Financial and Real Estate Services category, LJ Hooker Cessnock took home the top award.”
“It means that the countless hours that you and your family have put in to make this happen, the hundreds of kilometres and the endless support have all paid off. Harris is an absolute superstar wide receiver, and I know that he didn't look the slightest bit out of place in the national team. It's a bloody great honour to be selected to represent your country. But all good things, unfortunately, come at a bit of a cost, and Harris had to raise $8,000 towards travel, uniforms, training and accommodation. Thank you to everyone that helped Harris with this support, and thank you for raising the cash that he needed to be able to go and play for Australia and represent the country. Thank you very much, Harris. Keep up the great work. I'm looking forward to seeing what else you can do in the future.”
“The Hunter has another sporting success story. Harris WC Walker has been selected to play in the Australian men's gridiron team that competed against New Zealand earlier this month. Harris is a Cessnock local. His love of gridiron started in year 7, but, because it was hard to find a comp to play in near home, his parents would drive him hours and hours just to get to training. As an Olympian, I know how much hard work, stress, training and dedication it takes to get to the top. Harris played for the Central Coast Sharks Gridiron, Sydney, New South Wales and then went off to play in America in the division 2 college competition before coming home to wrap up his 2025 season with an MVP for both the UTS Gators and the Newcastle Marauders. Selection in the national team is well deserved recognition for you.”
“For more than three years, I have been standing in this place and saying that the Hunter has the best wines in the country and the world, and what more proof do you all need in this place? Make the trip to our beautiful part of the world, our slice of heaven, and, when you're there, make sure you have a glass or a bottle of some high-quality, critically acclaimed wine from De Iuliis wines. I'm actually looking forward to going there on 27 September for their Cork and Fork event. I'm going to eat plenty of meat and drink plenty of their wine as well. I'm really looking forward to going there and supporting them on their journey to be one of the best winemakers in the country. Thank you, De Iuliis wines.”
“De Iuliis wines have secured the three-peat. For the third year in a row, they have been named a top winery of 2025 by the Real Review. That's almost unheard of. The Real Review's list of top wineries of Australia is highly regarded for its rigorous and independent assessment. Wineries are judged on the quality and consistency of their wines reviewed over the past two years, making this accolade a true indicator of sustained excellence. To put it simply, if you're a wine lover, it means that when you have a taste of De Iuliis wines you're treating your tastebuds to some of the best wine you can find. De Iuliis wines are best known for their premium Hunter Valley semillon, shiraz and chardonnay. Their Hunter Valley semillon is the benchmark for the region, and the Hunter Valley shiraz is a powerful yet elegant wine.”
“Already we've put legislation in that impacts the real lives of Australians. We're shaping this country for the better, just as Labor governments always have. We're taking real action. We're delivering real results. (Time expired)”
“But if you want to see a contrast, look no further than those opposite, the coalition. One of their first private members' bills in this term is a proposal to abolish climate action. It's deja vu. It's the same tired argument they've been pushing for 20 years, so come on. This debate is settled. It should have been settled, but you guys just keep bringing it up. Let's move forward and let's focus on real issues. It's not that Labor isn't managing this country's challenges and priorities; it's that the coalition have no idea what the real priorities are for this country. For them, they're certainly not health, education, workers' rights or cost-of-living relief. It's only one week in, and we're hearing the tired old arguments from last term's MPIs. We're getting on with the job.”
“This means supporting more tailored, community based services run by people who understand the unique challenges men face, from social isolation to cultural pressures. Prevention must be proactive, not reactive. Clearly, we face a men's health crisis in this country. That's why I'm proud to have been appointed the first-ever Special Envoy for Men's Health to tackle these issues, to start real conversations and to turn these statistics around, because this doesn't need to be the way it is. If this issue isn't a national priority, then I don't know what is. Our priorities are clear and they're with the Aussie people. Whether it's access to cheaper medicines, cheaper child care, stronger Medicare, fee-free TAFE or a lighter student debt burden, we're getting on with the job.”
“We have introduced new laws to cut off funding for centres that repeatedly fail to meet the minimum standards. This reform supports states and territories and helps ensure childcare centres are putting kids' safety first. When it comes to men's health, we're investing in better access to mental health services, target awareness campaigns and programs that encourage early detection—especially in rural and regional areas, where services can be a bit harder to reach. This is about saving lives. Men are less likely to visit a doctor. Men are more likely to die from heart disease and cancers like prostate cancer—illness that could be treated if caught early. Tragically, 75 per cent of those who die by suicide are men. We are also working to break down the stigma that stops mainly men from reaching out for the help they need.”
“Cost of living continues to be the No. 1 focus. The first piece of legislation we introduced this term will cut student debt by 20 per cent because we believe in opportunity, because getting a qualification to follow your dreams shouldn't send you broke. This reform will cut the average student debt for more than three million Aussies by around $5,500. That's real relief for young people, working people and our future. We're also the only party that consistently stands up for Australian working families. That's why we're moving to enshrine penalty rates in legislation to protect workers' pay and safeguard the essential Labor legacy. Cheaper child care is saving families thousands every year, making it easier for parents, especially women, to re-enter the workforce and boost the household income.”
“Thanks to the Albanese Labor government, these have all been strengthened and we've delivered fee-free TAFE, cheaper child care and cheaper medicines. We're also making housing more accessible, expanding programs to build social and affordable homes, and reforming Medicare to strengthen bulk-billing, especially for children, pensioners and more people in rural and regional communities. This is Labor at work, tackling everyday pressures and delivering fairness for all Aussies. Fee-free TAFE means more than 300,000 Aussies can access vocational training without financial barriers, helping fill critical shortages in areas like aged care, construction and renewable energy. It's not just a boost for our students; it's an investment for our workforce and our future. Now, in our second term, we're getting on with the job we started.”
“May I say, Deputy Speaker Claydon, it's a pleasure to see you back in that seat. Thank you for everything that you do for us here. When we look through the history of our nation and things that make it great, there's a common theme: the Australian Labor Party. That's because when Labor is in government it implements nation-building policies. We passed legislation that shaped Australia into the lucky country we know today, and our agenda in this term of government continues to mould the future in ways that generations to come will look back on with gratitude. Thanks to past Labor governments we have Medicare, the NDIS, paid parental leave—and the NBN, even though those opposite tried to stuff that.”
“While this award was well deserved for the both of them, I'd like to say to Andrew: don't forget that Lisa won this award first. She was the first of you to be crowned a legend, so you're still playing catch-up, buddy. The First Creek Winemaking Services Hunter Valley winemaker of the year was awarded to Liz Silkman. The Jurds Hunter Valley viticulturalist of the year was presented to Lousie Eather, assistant vineyard manager at Tyrrell's. Alisdair Tulloch, vineyard and operations manager at Keith Tulloch Wine and co-owner of Aeon Wines was awarded the Riedel Hunter Valley young achiever of the year award. Congratulations to all of these local legends for what you do; thank you for all you do to help promote the Hunter Valley to make it the beautiful place it is, and I look forward to catching up with you all again soon.”
“We all know the Hunter is full of legends, but, recently, the biggest legends of them all were crowned. I was lucky enough to attend the 2025 Hunter Valley Legends Awards, where icons were celebrated. It was great to see Lisa Margan be inducted as the 2025 Hunter Valley tourism industry living legend. Lisa has dedicated more than 30 years to the Hunter Valley's food, wine and hospitality scene, playing a key role in supporting countless initiatives and enriching the local community. The night just kept getting better when Lisa's husband, Andrew Margan, was inducted as the 2025 Hunter Valley wine industry living legend. This was in recognition of his longstanding commitment to securing the Hunter Valley's place amongst the world's greatest wine regions.”
“This government is doing what the previous one never could: delivering real outcomes to the Hunter. We're building the roads, hospitals and schools our region deserves. We're making health care more affordable, investing in jobs and ensuring our local businesses can compete. The coalition treated the Hunter like a second-class region, ignored our infrastructure needs and left families struggling with rising costs. We are fixing these failures. But the pork-barrelling has already begun from those opposite and will continue all throughout this, so I will continue to push hard to make sure Hunter gets its fair share. Under this government, that will never change, because commitment to regional Australia is more than just a slogan and an RM Williams puffer vest.”
“We're stepping in, providing $450 in energy bill relief for households and $475 for small business plus a $20 million investment to boost Australian made products, because supporting local industries is more than just a talking point for us. We're investing in local manufacturing, steel production, battery technology and solar panel production because we believe in making things in Australia instead of outsourcing things overseas. We're not stopping there. We're giving $2.2 billion to strengthen regional communications, particularly in disaster-prone areas, because a reliable phone service shouldn't be a luxury. We have also given $3 billion in NBN upgrades, finally delivering high-speed internet to thousands of homes and businesses across the Hunter.”
“There are over 500,000 free TAFE places, including 7,000 in the Hunter, training the next generation of workers in construction, child care and essential trades and services. We made a $626.9 million investment in apprenticeships, including a $10,000 incentive payment for construction apprentices, because we actually care about building Australia's workforce and our houses. And let's talk about small business. The coalition love to call themselves the party of small business until it comes to actually supporting small businesses. Instead, they let costs skyrocket and shrugged their shoulders while business struggled.”
“There are Medicare mental health clinics in Cessnock and Muswellbrook, because mental health shouldn't be an afterthought. We've delivered $7.9 billion in investment in bulk billing so that people can see a doctor without selling a kidney to be able to afford it. That goes alongside the biggest cut to medicine prices in the history of the PBS. This is what real investment in health care looks like—no slogans, no fake funding announcement, just results. The previous government left regional students behind while pretending TAFE didn't even exist. We're changing that by delivering a regional university study hub in Kurri Kurri so local students can get a quality education without moving halfway across the country.”
“We've given $52 million for the Hunter Sports Centre and millions in funding for grassroots sporting clubs, giving to local facilities so they don't look like they still belong in the 1950s. The coalition had 10 years to get these projects done. What did they do instead? They squandered their time, slashed funding and somehow made a bad situation even worse. We're cleaning up their mess. The previous government butchered our healthcare system, slashing funding and leaving regional Australians with fewer doctors, longer waiting times and a Medicare system on life support. We're fixing that. We've established Medicare urgent care clinics in Cessnock, Maitland, Charlestown and Lake Haven, because seeing a doctor shouldn't require a road trip.”
“What did the coalition do? They ignored them, just like they ignored everything outside their Sydney and Melbourne bubble. Now we're making up for lost time. We're actually building the Singleton bypass—not just talking about it. We're building the Muswellbrook bypass—a game changer for the Upper Hunter. We're delivering the duplication of Mandalong Road so locals don't have to risk their lives dodging potholes bigger than their cars. We're repairing Coulsons Creek Road, which is something that the coalition and the member for New England couldn't even manage to do despite a decade of being in government, having photo ops and making empty promises. For too long, it's been us having to fix their roads. Unlike the previous government, who treated sports funding like it was a raffle prize for their mates, we're actually delivering.”
“For too long, regional Australia was treated like an afterthought, a place the previous coalition remembered only when they needed votes. For a decade, they promised the world but delivered nothing but empty press conferences and broken roads. They talked up big but, when it came to action, they couldn't build a Lego set, let alone infrastructure for our communities in desperate need. Under this government, we're getting things done for the Hunter and regional Australia. We believe your postcode shouldn't determine your future. Whether you live in Singleton, Muswellbrook, Toronto, Barnsley, Cessnock, West Wallsend or Kurri Kurri, you deserve more than just leftovers from a government that spent a decade fumbling regional development like a bad amateur football team. For years, local communities begged for critical road projects.”
“But it's not just about keeping mines open; it's about making sure that the mines are a fair place to go to work. That's where we made a real difference. We said that we'd end the scourge of labour hire, and we did it. We brought in same job, same pay legislation, and those opposite opposed it. We closed the labour hire loopholes that were being used by big business to rip off the hardworking coalminers of the Hunter. Only a Labor government can be trusted not only to keep the mines open but also to ensure miners have good, safe, secure work conditions and get paid what they deserve for doing that hard job and get paid what their mates are getting paid next to them. Only Labor cares about same job, same pay. The Nationals and Dutton will rip that away.”
“Three years ago, the coalition, especially the Nationals, said, 'You shouldn't trust Labor to support the Hunter's coal industry.' They said that coalmines would close on our watch and that workers would be left high and dry. That couldn't be more wrong. The coalmines in the Hunter are thriving. In fact, there has not been a single coalmine closure under this government—not one. We've said that, if it stacks up environmentally, we won't stand in the way of extensions. We've kept our word. We've seen MACH Energy's Mount Pleasant open-cut mine, Yancoal's Ashton underground mine and even Whitehaven Coal's Narrabri underground mine all receive extensions. We will never stand in the way of workers and good, safe and secure employment. Maybe the coalition could have kept these mines open as well.”
“They also stepped out into the professional world armed with the knowledge, skills and hands-on experience gained during their time at Huntlee Academy. I have no doubt that each of these graduates will make significant contributions in their fields. Congratulations to Ashton Harding, Barry Anderson, Rylee Norris, Brody Connelly-Smith, Caelan Evans, Taylor Ormsby, Mathew King and JD White. Congratulations, and thank you, to the Huntlee Academy. The work you do is truly life changing for these individuals, and you form such an important part of the community. I look forward to working with you in the future, and thank you for all you do. Cheers.”
“For some, this remarkable journey began back in 2022, and it's an amazing achievement to have completed this course. Their deep knowledge and practical skills in this field will undoubtedly serve them well as they embark on a promising career in landscaping, nursery management, parks and gardens and beyond. These skills and qualifications that they can take with them their whole lives will open up doors for these graduates to enter careers and live the lives of their choosing. Congratulations to Tasmine Tomkins, Chelsea Wild, Zaine Gleeson, Brody Ede, Graham Barrett and Jye Klarnett. I also want to recognise and congratulate those who graduated with a certificate II in construction pathways. These individuals have demonstrated exceptional aptitude, laying a solid foundation for successful careers in the ever-growing construction industry.”
“Huntlee Academy has invested over $140,000 in training and offers basic competencies, from operating power tools and plant and equipment competencies to the provision of licences and tickets, including drivers licence; forklift, excavator, bobcat, skid-steer, underground locating and chemical application certification; and working at heights, health and safety, first aid and CPR. They also offer full qualifications, including cert III in horticulture and cert II in construction pathways. This year, the inaugural cohort of 14 employees, ranging from 16 to 59 years of age, will earn nationally recognised qualifications in their chosen fields. I want to give a special mention to the individuals who graduated with a certificate III in horticulture.”
“I had the pleasure of attending the 10th anniversary of the Huntlee Academy. Huntlee Academy is a not-for-profit established in 2014 to provide work, skills and higher-level career opportunities for local disadvantaged people, including Indigenous Australians, youth, the long-term unemployed, mature-age workers and people with a disability. Their employment training and upskilling programs give locals who need a hand up the opportunity to gain licences and certifications. They're giving locals the opportunity to change the course of their lives and a chance to get the skills and qualifications that they need to set them up for the future.”
“We should be prioritising post-mining land and existing buffer zones that are already cleared and available to be used for projects like these, yet, right now, planning laws make that very difficult. We need the New South Wales government to change those laws and make it easier to use this land for renewable energy projects. We need to strike the right balance, supporting new energy without sacrificing the land that feeds us. Our community deserves a say in these decisions and, today, I am making sure that their voices are heard. I've met with many of these residents, and we say no to the Mitchells Flat Solar Farm development.”
“I represent a community that understands the value of our land, our industries and our future. That's why there is so much community opposition to the proposed Mitchells Flat Solar Farm. We all support new energy proposals, but we cannot support this continued loss of prime agricultural land for projects that could and should be located elsewhere. Every hectare of farmland we lose to development is a blow to our local farmers, to our food security and to our economy. On top of that, this project would require around 20km of additional powerlines just to connect it to the grid, carving out more of our landscape and putting more pressure on landowners in our area. That is not smart planning, and that is not in the best interests of our community. There is a better way.”
“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.”
“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.”
“It is time that the big companies understand that they are accountable, not only to their shareholders but also to the people that they provide services to every single day of the week. The changes made in this bill to improve the compliance and enforcement of consumer safeguards are implemented through four schedules. These reforms work together to provide protection for the whole community. They benefit us all. These reforms also reflect the commitment to making sure that Australians are appropriately protected and supported in their interactions with telecommunications service providers. It is also important to take note that the key players in the sector are right behind these changes.”
“The provisions in this bill, such as the new carrier service, the CSP, registration scheme will make sure that providers who harm consumers or fail to meet basic service standards will no longer be allowed to operate unchecked. This is especially crucial in regions like the Hunter where many areas are still underrepresented or have limited access to reliable telecommunications infrastructure. The changes in this bill are not just fixing the system for the future; they are about addressing the failures that have already hurt so many Australians. For the people of the Hunter electorate, these reforms represent a much-needed shift towards fairer treatment and greater accountability in the telecommunications sector.”
“By empowering the ACMA with the ability to act swiftly in the face of such outages and by increasing the penalties for poor service and poor communications, this bill will ensure that telecommunications providers in the Hunter and across Australia take their responsibilities more seriously. If a provider fails to deliver the services that consumers are paying for, they will now face real consequences. This includes a much-needed focus on improving transparency, providing timely updates during service disruptions and ensuring that consumers are kept informed every step of the way. In addition to increased penalties, we'll make sure that the financial cost for failing to meet consumer standards is substantial enough to prevent companies from cutting corners.”
“What makes matters even worse is that the companies responsible for these services are not held accountable for their negligence. There is no meaningful compensation or apology for the harm caused to residents and no significant deterrent in place to prevent these outages from occurring into the future. With the existing regulatory framework, these providers can continue to cut corners and neglect their obligations, knowing that any consequences would likely be very minimal. This is where the reform in the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill comes in.”
“One constituent shared their experience of repeatedly reporting poor internet speeds and being told that the problem was being looked into, only for nothing to improve. The feeling of being powerless in the face of unresponsive telecommunications companies has led to the growing sense of disillusionment between them all. These repeated outages, combined with poor communications, are a clear sign of systematic failures within the telecommunications industry. Consumers are expected to rely on these services for essential activities—health care, work, education and even staying in touch with loved ones. When these services fail, the impacts are not just inconvenient; they affect people's ability to function in society.”
“Many residents tried to reach out to customer service only to be met with long wait times, unhelpful responses and a lack of accountability. In some cases, providers failed to acknowledge that the services had gone down until days after the issue had started. By the time any meaningful updates were shared, the damage was already done. Many businesses suffered and many families were left without critical means of communication. The communication failure does not stop at outages. Many residents have experienced frustration over ongoing issues like billing areas, dropped out phone calls and unreliable internet. Yet, when consumers raise these issues, they often feel dismissed or ignored by these large telecommunications companies.”
“In rural and regional areas like those in the Hunter, many people rely heavily on telecommunications for business and education. Farmers and small-business owners in the region were hit especially hard, with several unable to complete vital transactions, contact suppliers or stay in touch with consumers. One constituent, a farmer from the Upper Hunter, reported losing several days work during an outage that left him without internet access. With no way to communicate with his clients, he suffered significant financial losses that would have been entirely avoidable had services been properly maintained and the outage better managed. Similarly, during these outages, there was a stark lack of responsiveness from telecommunications providers.”
“For days, many residents were left without phone or internet services. While such storms understandably cause disruptions, the ways these outages were handled by the telecommunications providers were unacceptable and absolutely atrocious. In many instances, service providers failed to offer timely updates or clear communication about the restoration process. There was little to no information shared with affected consumers and customers about the extent of the damage or the timeline for their repairs. People were left in the dark, with no way of knowing when they could expect to get their services back. For some, this meant being completely cut off from emergency services, essential communications and online platforms for work or education.”
“For my constituents in the Hunter electorate, one of the most frustrating and damaging issues has been regular telecommunications outages and the lack of accountability from providers. I can tell you that I am sick of it in my office, so I can only imagine what the people of the Hunter feel. The Hunter is a large and diverse region encompassing rural, regional and urban areas, and each of these face distinct challenges in addressing reliable telecommunications services. Over the past few years, there have been several major outages that have significantly impacted on the daily lives of residents and businesses right there in the Hunter. One such incident occurred during the 2022 storm season when severe weather caused widespread damage to telecommunications infrastructure across the region.”
“Schedule 3 modernises the penalty framework by increasing the maximum general civil penalty from a mere $250,000 to 30,300 penalty units, currently equalling up to $9.9 million, bringing it in line with other regulated sectors. Schedule 4 clarifies and extends the authority of the Minister for Communications to increase infringement notice penalties, ensuring that breaches of telecommunication rules are met with appropriate consequences. These changes will provide stronger protections for consumers right across this country. They demonstrate our government's commitment to ensuring Australians receive the telecommunication services they deserve—services that are reliable, fair and accountable to the people that they serve.”