Julie-Ann Campbell
Moreton · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“It was Steven Miles who introduced 50c fares, which go to making sure that people can have relief when they tap their card at the bus or to get on the train. And it was many energy workers who came together to make sure that publicly owned renewables could be back in state government hands.”
“We just heard during the MPI in this parliament every excuse that they could think of—every obfuscation that came to mind, every reason—to not back reform that protects our children. The news I want to give to those opposite is this: we will not lie down when it comes to ensuring that Australian children are safe.”
“It is important to remember that yesterday marked a tax cut, the fifth from this government, for every Australian taxpaying worker. It is important to remember that this government, unlike those opposite, backed in minimum and award wage increases which came into effect yesterday.”
“Yesterday didn't just mark the beginning of a new financial year, it marked the next step in the Albanese Labor government's crusade to ensure that cost-of-living relief is delivered to everyday Australians, and it sits in stark contrast to what we've seen from those opposite this week.”
“If you've ever sat in your car at the Coopers Plains crossing on Boundary Road, you would know that it can feel like an absolute eternity. It's been consistently named by the RACQ as one of the worst crossings in our entire state. Locals in my community have been waiting decades for the promised overpass to that rail level crossing.”
“But if you'd cracked open the LNP's budget last Tuesday, what you would have found as you sorted through the papers is that there was no commitment and no timeline to this important project being delivered, despite the state previously having committed $179.5 million to the project as well.”
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“The convention also outlines clear rules regarding the allocation of profits from cross-border activity, making processes more efficient and predictable and cutting down compliance costs. This schedule supports Labor's drive to ensure multinational companies pay their fair share of tax. It strengthens the integrity of our tax system by allowing tax authorities in both countries to share information and help each other collect tax debts—important tools in tackling tax evasion and avoidance. It's clear—and we know in this House—that Labor is the party of lower taxes for everyday Australians. But what we also want to make sure is that big business, big multinationals, are paying what they owe and are paying what they should.”
“These measures bolster Australia's reputation as a trusted host for major international sporting events—events that generate jobs, promote tourism and lead to long-term social benefits, such as increased participation in sport. These are events that not only drive economic growth and drive good, full employment but also bring our communities together. Schedule 4 of this bill amends the International Tax Agreements Act and concerns the 30 November 2023 tax convention between Australia and Portugal. This convention is the first agreement of its kind between Australia and Portugal and will promote stronger trade, investment and, indeed, innovation connections. It encourages investment by lowering withholding tax rates on dividends, interest and royalties.”
“These exceptions make sure that people still get the key details they need without turning the onboarding process into a marketing exercise. This amendment ensures the process is less overwhelming for workers and keeps the focus on transparency and genuine choice rather than advertising. The remaining schedules in this bill concern a range of matters. The first fulfils an obligation to World Rugby as part of Australia's forthcoming hosting duties in the 2027 and 2029 Rugby World Cups, and it follows similar exemptions that were provided for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup. The schedule implements amendments to the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 and the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to provide income tax and withholding tax exemptions for World Rugby and its wholly owned subsidiaries.”
“This is an important time for new employees, and they should be able to consider their super options in a well-informed, non-pressured and clear way without being hit with sales pitches or feeling compelled to choose a particular product. I spent my younger years cutting my teeth supporting and representing manufacturing workers, and the time for workers to understand their superannuation entitlements is at the beginning. It's not when you've suffered an injury. It's not when your loved one is sick. That's what this legislation is focused on. To keep things practical, there are a few sensible exceptions. Workers will still be able to see information about their stapled fund, their employer's default fund or any regulated MySuper product.”
“It comes into effect on 1 July this year and requires employers to pay super at the same time as they pay wages—not quarterly, not later but on payday. This is because super isn't a privilege. Super isn't a bonus; super is not an extra. Super is wages, and they deserve to be paid when they are earned. The CEO of the Association of Superannuation Funds Australia, Mary Delahunty, said: The approach in the Bill strikes a balance between maximising member choice, ensuring workers are presented with options, and knowing that they are in the best performing product for them, while continuing to ensure that the number of Australians with more than one super account continues to reduce. Schedule 2 amends the Corporations Act and implements a targeted ban on superannuation advertising during the employee onboarding process.”
“Some employees have stapled super funds, and these are funds which are linked, or 'stapled', to an individual employee as they move jobs. The first schedule of this bill amends the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992. It will enable people with a stapled fund to more easily see their existing fund when they change employment and make an informed choice about using it. This more streamlined approach will mean less duplication of super accounts and less of people's hard earned money going into super fund fees. This amendment gives employers more flexibility to request an employee's stapled super fund details from the ATO earlier in the onboarding process. This enables more efficient implementation of payday super. Payday super is Labor's legislation.”
“Beyond its social benefits, super has also become an economic powerhouse, fuelling national growth through major investments in infrastructure, housing, innovation and productive enterprises. These investments help underpin the resilience of the Australian economy and, crucially, ensure that working people share in the wealth they help create. Its establishment sits alongside other transformative public policy reform such as Medicare, the PBS and the NDIS, which are also Labor government initiatives. It shows what this government's priorities are. It shows what Labor's priorities are: people. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Supporting Choice in Superannuation and Other Measures) Bill 2025 before the House today strengthens the superannuation system through a series of schedules.”
“It is the envy of the world, and it has delivered stronger, safer and more prosperous retirements for Australians. When we talk about superannuation, we don't want to leave it where it is, because when you believe in something and you back something, you always want to make it better. That's what this bill does—and it's not just this bill. We heard from the Treasurer this morning about reforms to the LISTO—changes to increase the maximum payment and raise the income threshold, making sure that some of our lowest income Australians and some of our most vulnerable have the support that they need to offset and to make their lives better. It has strengthened Australia's retirement income system, provided workers with peace of mind about their future and acted as a vital partner to the aged pension.”
“I am always pleased to have the opportunity to talk about superannuation, a proud Labor initiative and a proud Labor legacy which enables Australians to fund dignified and independent retirement. Of course, that superannuation guarantee that was first enacted in this parliament in 1992 under the Keating Labor government was established because Labor took a long-term, responsible view of Australia's future. It recognised that an aging population would place a burden on the federal budget without a scheme to support everyday Australians. The idea behind super is really straightforward. It is compulsory, long-term savings, where your employer has to kick in. Thirty-four years on, Australia's super system stands as one of our greatest national achievements.”
“What we need to know from the coalition is: who are the people who are not going to get a house because they don't support that policy? What we know from the coalition is that they didn't build a single social housing home. What we know about the coalition is that they did not have a housing minister for the majority of their last term. When the member for Goldstein stood here and talked today—not content with the will they, won't they, on again, off again, relentless feudal infighting that subsumes everything those opposite do—he had to squeeze in a discussion to try and amend this not to support the reforms in superannuation that this Albanese government is putting forward today.”
“They haven't changed because, we know, just like then, this is a coalition that doesn't back in workers and does not back in superannuation, as we see from the member for Goldstein's debate today. Not only was that the case; he was also incredibly disingenuous in talking about housing. If you want to talk about housing, and if you want to understand what people need when it comes to getting more young people into homes and making sure that parents can have confidence that their children can secure and live in their own home to build for their future, we need to remember what those opposite have said and done when it comes to housing. They have said that a five per cent deposit is not something they'd support.”
“Listening to the member for Goldstein talk against the Treasury Laws Amendment (Supporting Choice in Superannuation and Other Measures) Bill 2025, a bill targeted at superannuation reform, reminds me of something very important, and that is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. When I think back on the history of superannuation, my mind goes back to what happened when the first superannuation guarantee was put through this place in the early nineties. What did those opposites say then? They said that we'd all be ruined. They said that it would be a disaster for the economy. They said that it wouldn't work. They called it an extra tax when the proposal was for a three per cent contribution from employers. Things have not changed.”
“It's 23 places where all you need is that little green card, and it's 23 places where you getting better is the only currency that counts. I had the great privilege of being able to visit one of those—Beaudesert Road Surgery in Moorooka—with the fabulous Dr Gary Chang. On top of the urgent care clinics in Canossa and at the PA, my community is reaping the benefits of the Albanese's laser-like focus on health care for Australians.”
“People have been diligently counting. The numbers are in. It's the hottest topic in the gallery. But I'm not talking about the opposition—no, I am talking about the national bulk-billing stats. And let's have a look at them, because there are some good numbers here. There are 3,400 Medicare bulk-billing practices across the breadth and depth of this nation—a whopping 81 per cent increase to bulk-billing practices in just those short three months. My own electorate on Brisbane's south side in Moreton, much like the member for Aston and much like the member for Solomon, has had a good increase here too. Eleven formerly mixed-billing practices are now fully bulk-billing, and that's a total of 23 fully bulk-billing practices in my local community. That's 23 places where you don't have to check your bank balance before you go to the doctor.”
“I wanted to talk about the Oxley Creek Catchment Association, affectionately known as OCCA in my part of the world. On 2 February, we celebrated World Wetlands Day. In the lead-up to that day I got to visit the Archerfield Wetlands, which are such crucial areas for biodiversity. I joined my friends from OCCA at those wetlands. Dave Kent, Lynn Whitfield and Ralph head up that organisation. We've recently provided federal funding for the Habitat Transformation Project. That project is an important one. Work is underway to create a thriving wetland for native plants and animals by revegetating an area containing old wastewater run-off ponds associated with a former bacon factory. It supports threatened species such as the powerful owl and the glossy black cockatoo.”
“The Annerley Stephen's History Group is one of the most active local history groups in all of Queensland. They do a lot and it was wonderful to meet with their president, Pauline Peel, recently. It's a group that is driven by volunteers—Pauline; their vice-president, Jeff—but also so many people across my local community on Brisbane's south side, and they've put together publications that celebrate the history of our local community, whether it's on women, local stories, local houses or even tennis. They do it all. They hold events such as the 'History Alive' quiz, exhibitions and talks, and their current project that they are working on is a history of sport and recreation. They're having their open day on 18 April, and they do such a marvellous job at everything they do.”
“Runcorn State High School is having a very special anniversary this year. The school was founded in 1986—a very good vintage, if I do say so myself—and, like me, will celebrate its 40th birthday in 2026. The school is ably led by the principal, Darren McGregor, and P&C president representing the parents, Zorica Stancov. It's a very multicultural school. They do wonderful work there, and I had the great pleasure of attending their leadership induction on 30 January this year, when the new school captains were inducted. So to Karima Musse, who actually won the Moreton emerging women leaders award just last year, and to Nick Ilincic, who's also Zorica's son—so we have a very proud P&C president—I congratulate you on your achievements and look forward to seeing what you will do in the year to come.”
“What I will say is this: the traditional Australian values of mateship, a fair go and respect for everyone are the bedrock of patriotism. He is no patriot.”
“If you believe that Australia should be a country where people are gainfully employed and one where we have an economy that is driving towards a better society, migrants are an important part of that story. The member for Kennedy has left this chamber. It's unfortunate because I wanted to direct my comments at him today. I understand that it's important for the member for Kennedy to put on a show. I understand that it's important for the member for Kennedy to lean into populism, because it is easy. I will not empower the member for Kennedy's words by jumping up and down, I will not empower the member for Kennedy's words by shouting, and I will not empower the member for Kennedy's words by shaking my fists.”
“But, to go beyond that, we should also think of our multicultural and migrant communities as drivers of our economic outcomes, as drivers of our nation's economy. Labor believes that migration should be a function of nation building. When we bring skills to this country, it is to make us better and stronger. If we want to be a country that makes things, if we want to be a country that builds stuff, if we want to be a country that cares for its people, that's what we need. Unemployment is at 4.1 per cent. It's really low. The question that we need to ask ourselves in this debate is: What do we want to cut? What jobs do we want to cut? Is it jobs in agriculture? Is it jobs in construction? Is it jobs in health? Is it jobs in aged care? Is it jobs in education? That is the fundamental question here.”
“It's the story of so many people who call this place home. Over half of all Australians were born overseas or had a parent born overseas. It's part of what makes Australia a great migration success story, because that diversity builds strength. That diversity also helps build our country into a better place. I'm very proud to represent the most multicultural community in all of Queensland in my electorate. From our multicultural community, we see people who run small businesses, we see people who care for our loved ones, we see people who support our oldest Australians, and we see people who support our youngest Australians. When people think about multiculturalism, often the first thing that comes to mind is food and festivals—because they're great.”
“This side of the chamber is what Australia looks like. This side of the chamber is what our community looks like. This side of the chamber is what our nation looks like. When I made my first speech in this place, I chose to talk about my family's migrant story. It's a story of Chinese immigrants coming here in the 1800s. It's a story of Chinese Australians building railroads. It's a story of Chinese Australians fighting for this country and representing it at war. And it's a story of Chinese Australians helping establish community organisations that bring people together. I am a proud Australian. I am a proud Australian of Chinese heritage. I am proud of my family's migrant story, and I would remind the member for Kennedy that I am proud of my family. This story is not unique. It's not a one-off. It's the story of so many Australians.”
“It's a bit rich standing up here listening to the member for Moncrieff talk about the need to focus on outcomes not headlines. In a nod to that comment, I had a look at the headlines that are in the newspapers not earlier this week, last week or a month ago, but the headlines that are in the newspapers right here, right now, today. I want to read them to you: 'Taylor timing tested as Hume demands answers from Ley', 'Angus Taylor in meeting with top moderate Anne Ruston', 'Embarrassing—doco reveals rare look into Libs turmoil', 'Hume's blunt exchange with Ley in closed-door party room meeting'—”
“It also includes rolling out the new skills-in-demand visa, which features a core skills pathway designed to meet specific workforce needs and a specialist skills pathway to support innovation in order to generate new jobs. When you consider that Australia is such a special place, it's important to remember that it's home to the world's oldest continuing culture and that over half of all Australians were born overseas or had a parent who was born overseas. Some of us, like my family, can trace our migrant roots back to the 1800s. I've heard Australia described as a melting pot, and I've heard it described as a mixed salad. But, whatever analogy you choose to use, it's recognition that there are myriad histories, languages and cultural traditions that form the Australian story. This is something to celebrate.”
“We are guided by the Migration strategy , which was released in December 2023, and this drew on the conclusions of the Nixon review. It outlined 44 new and existing policy commitments, along with areas flagged for future reform. Labor is taking deliberate and responsible steps to repair the dysfunctional system that we inherited from those opposite, and this means restoring integrity. It means strengthening safeguards and guiding the system back to a sustainable level. Crucially, we've already delivered the majority of the strategy's reforms, and this includes establishing the national innovation visa to support growth in industries of national significance.”
“And every new citizen, at each of those ceremonies, had it in absolute spades. It is that approach that so many migrants bring to starting things and to supporting and sustaining our economy, particularly our small businesses. In fact, the positive impact these communities have on Australia's economy is significant. The Australian Industry Group states that migrants fill critical roles across key industries such as health care, construction, information technology and education, addressing skills shortages and enhancing the nation's productivity. This government's approach to migration has been to ensure that policies genuinely serve the country's long-term interests and skills needs and drive the national interest.”
“When Australian communities are blamed for people's and society's challenges, it deepens divisions. It diminishes the important and hardworking contributions that migrant communities have made over—as the member for Fairfax would say—scores and scores of years. It strikes at their work. None of these sentiments were in evidence at the four most recent local Australia Day citizenship ceremonies I attended. These joyous occasions were full of optimism. They were full of pride. They were full of commitment. They were full of enthusiasm. And they were full of patriotism. I want to say that patriotism is not for the exclusive use of those who sit opposite. Patriotism does not see skin colour. Patriotism does not see religion. Patriotism does not see those things. Patriotism sees only the love of this country, of Australia.”
“I want to thank the member for Warringah for bringing this important motion to the House today. It speaks directly to one of the core strengths of my culturally diverse community on the south side of Brisbane and of multiculturalism and all of the wonderful festivals, traditions, foods, languages and celebrations that that word evokes. However, the motion also reflects something more sombre: the need for some parts of our society to be reminded about the power of language—the power of language, in this case, to harm and to divide. There is no doubt that Australia is a multicultural success story. We are a nation proud of our diversity, and we are made up of a rich tapestry of cultures. The challenge we have right now is that people are seeking to pull at the threads of that tapestry.”
“Businesses like Endua, in Archerfield in my local electorate, have benefited from funding from the federal government's Industry Growth Program, which provides grants that are aligned with the seven government priority areas for the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund. Another Moreton success story is the Bureau Technologies Group, which received funding through the Cooperative Research Centre Projects Grants program. It has developed breakthrough solar technology to convert carbon neutral biogas to green methanol fuel on par with fossil fuel prices. It's clear that Labor stands behind small businesses and delivering real outcomes— (Time expired)”
“We're extending unfair trading practice protections to small businesses, making their engagement with large business fairer. We're investing $80 million to help businesses adopt new digital technologies and boost their cyber-resilience. Small businesses are eligible for the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, helping them save even more on their energy bills. And let us not forget that it was this government that reopened global markets, allowing our local producers to sell their wine, their lobsters, their beer and much, much more in this country. And these policies are making a real difference to small business.”
“They wouldn't have opposed energy bill relief for millions of small businesses across this country. They wouldn't have called our fee-free TAFE measures 'wasteful spending'. If those opposite sat on this side of the chamber, hundreds of thousands of new tradies would not be working for small trade businesses as they are today. Worse, they would have been denied the opportunity to start small businesses of their own. On this side of the House we don't just talk about ourselves; we talk about taking action. Under the Albanese Labor government, we've invested $2 billion in targeted supports for small business. We extended the instant asset write-off. We delivered the first-of-its-kind National Small Business Strategy. We invested $33.4 million to improve payment times, ensuring small businesses are paid what they are owed sooner.”
“What we've seen over the past few months, the past few days and for a long time now is an opposition that has nothing stable and nothing certain about it. The on-off-on-off relationship between the Liberals and the Nationals has been tumultuous to say the least. The 'will they, won't they' that continues—week on, week off—is not just unedifying, it's downright disappointing. It's disappointing because this is serious. It's not a sitcom. It's not a game. Australians and Australian small businesses deserve better than the spotlight being not on them but on the coalition. If they really cared about small business, they wouldn't have opposed those tax cuts that are benefiting 1.5 million sole traders, and they wouldn't have called those tax cuts 'a cruel hoax'.”
“1 beer at Slipstream in Yeerongpilly, whether you're manufacturing gaskets at Queensland Gaskets in Salisbury, whether you're serving up—this is a controversial one—the best char siu in the country at Burlington BBQ in Sunnybank or whether you're medevacing people home if you work at Retrieval Medics International—it doesn't matter which of those businesses you talk to, one thing is clear every time. Small businesses want the same things. They want stability and they want certainty. They want those things so that they can plan for the future. They want those things so that they can invest in innovation to make business more productive. And they want those things so that they can employ Australians, Queenslanders and people from my local community.”
“I'd like to thank the member for Goldstein for giving me the opportunity to talk about small businesses and the supports that they would be deprived of if those opposite were sitting on the government benches. The member for Goldstein said that we need to back small business, and that's right. We need to back small business. But the opposition does not back small business. They didn't back small business when they voted against tax cuts. They didn't back small business when they didn't back in the instant asset write-offs. And they didn't back small business when it came to making sure that we're investing more towards innovation. In my seat of Moreton, on Brisbane's south side, we have so many small businesses. Whether you're brewing the state's No.”
“These investments are improving coverage, boosting economic opportunities and enhancing social outcomes in regional, rural and remote communities. This bill has been shaped by extensive consultation with key stakeholders, including ACMA, the Australian Telecommunications Alliance, the ACCC and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. Stakeholders have consistently expressed strong support for the bill's objectives, recognising the urgent need for reform and the benefits that it will bring. This bill empowers the regulator to do what we need it to do—to ensure that, in the face of unfairness, every Australian is protected.”
“Crucially, there are now also new requirements for providers to ensure their triple zero network is backed up by other networks, and there will also be a mandatory improvement plan after an outage that affects triple zero. In line with these reforms, there are substantial investments to deliver a more connected Australia. The Albanese government will deliver $55 million for round 8 of the Mobile Black Spot Program and $50 million for the Regional Roads Australia Mobile Program pilot. These projects will road-test innovative solutions to improve mobile communications coverage on major regional roads. A further $115 million is being directed to 74 projects as part of the Regional Connectivity Program, and over $30 million in rebates is available through the On Farm Connectivity Program.”
“This reinforced a key recommendation of the review into the Optus outage in November 2023. It strengthened the oversight, ensuring the obligations being placed on telecommunications providers are being met. The legislation has reduced the possibility of outages with tragic consequences, as there is greater accountability and government scrutiny. The Albanese Labor government is utterly serious about telecommunications providers taking responsibility for their services. This legislation also implemented a new civil penalty regime. It established enforceable obligations with meaningful sanctions in the event of a service provider failing to provide information or failing to act.”
“I can only imagine the emotions and the extreme distress you would go through in the midst of an emergency if your call to triple zero did not connect, yet this is what happened, with tragic consequences. During the 13 hours the system was offline, approximately 600 calls to triple zero failed. It is devastating that these failed calls were linked to at least three deaths. Labor's reforms boil down to a simple premise, one which we all agree on: when there is an emergency, you need to be able to rely on your triple zero call connecting—not sometimes, not often, but always. The Triple Zero Custodian framework is now enshrined in law and formally establishes a statutory role responsible for overseeing the end-to-end operation of Australia's emergency call service.”
“Earlier this year, the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 was amended to place obligations on the telecommunications, banking and digital platform sectors to prevent, detect and disrupt scam activity. In October last year, the government passed a very important reform—the telecommunications legislation amendment. Labor brought this bill and the Triple Zero Custodian and emergency calling powers to this House as a matter of urgency after an outage in the Optus network in September which affected the triple zero system. The cause was a network firewall upgrade, and the result was that emergency services calls for customers in South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and parts of New South Wales did not connect.”
“It makes compliance mandatory from the outset, allowing ACMA to take swift action and to address consumer harm. This change will incentivise better behaviour across the industry and ensure that consumers are protected from the moment the breach occurs. This bill builds on a series of reforms already rolled out by the Albanese Labor government. We have delivered a new industry standard requiring telecommunications companies to provide support to customers experiencing financial hardship. Another new industry standard requires these companies to support and assist consumers who are experiencing domestic, sexual and family violence, and this came into effect on 1 July.”
“It will be a deterrent to providers and have the great benefit of increasing consumer trust and of increasing trust in everyday Australians and sending that clear message that, if providers do the wrong thing, there will be serious consequences. There will be a crackdown, and that is what the Australian people and consumers deserve. Another crucial reform in this bill is the move to make telecommunications industry codes directly enforceable by ACMA. Under current law, compliance with these codes is technically voluntary. ACMA can issue a direction to comply, but stronger enforcement only follows if that direction is ignored. This two-step process delays action and weakens the accountability that we talked about and that is so important. This bill removes that loophole.”
“It will increase transparency, it will increase accountability, and it will give ACMA those powers to exclude dodgy providers who pose unacceptable risks to consumers. Ultimately, it will provide consumers with greater confidence in the providers that they choose. Under the amendments to the Telecommunications Act, CSPs who pose an unacceptable risk for consumers or cause major consumer harm can be stopped from operating by ACMA. They can be shut down. This power will be used as a measure of last resort, with safeguards in place to ensure fairness, review rights and continuity of service for affected customers. This reform mirrors successful models in other sectors, such as the energy market, where regulators have used exclusion powers to prevent consumer harm.”
“ACMA will also be able to directly enforce telecommunications industry codes, which will incentivise industry compliance and also enable a swift response in the event of consumer harm. The bill establishes a carriage service provider registration scheme. A CSP is any entity that uses carrier facilities to supply communication services, like the phone or the internet, to consumers. There is currently no comprehensive list of CSPs operating in the market, and this lack of visibility hampers ACMA's ability to educate providers, it hampers their ability to monitor compliance, and it hampers their ability to respond to consumer complaints. The new registration scheme will change that.”
“This approach aligns telecommunications penalties with those in other sectors such as energy and banking, and it ensures that penalties are proportionate to the impact of the offence. The civil penalties framework will be revised so fines for regulatory breaches can be either $10 million, three times the benefit gained from the regulatory breach or 30 per cent of organisational turnover. It's a big stick, and sometimes we need a big stick to protect Australians. The bill also expands the authority of the Minister for Communications, allowing for the increase of infringement notice penalties that ACMA can issue for breaches of industry codes, industry standards and service provider determinations.”
“Yet, despite the importance of telecommunications, too many Australians have experienced poor service, misleading practices and a lack of accountability from telecommunications providers. 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. Currently, civil penalties for breaches of industry codes and standards are capped at $250,000. That figure is woefully inadequate, and something needs to be done about it. It does not reflect the scale of harm that can be caused by noncompliance, nor does it serve as a meaningful deterrent. That's why this bill amends the Telecommunications Act 1997 to increase the civil penalty by 40 times, to nearly $10 million.”
“As technology drives forward and makes what we previously thought was impossible a reality, we need to make sure that there are safeguards so that all Australians can enjoy that tech in a way that is accessible. Telecommunications are no longer the luxury that we thought of them as many years ago. They are a necessity which underpins our economy. In rural and remote communities, they are simply a lifeline. In urban centres, they are the backbone of innovation and they help drive productivity. For vulnerable Australians, they are often the only means of accessing critical support services, and that connection plays such a vital role in preventing social isolation.”
“Wherever you live, telecommunications are important. This infrastructure powers how we live, how we work and how we connect to each other on a daily basis. I'm talking about instantaneous personal connections via mobile calls, text messaging and video chats and about sharing the important moments of our lives with our friends, with snaps online. Today's workplace looks very different to when I first started working. Now we have high-speed internet enabling us to work from home, hold virtual meetings and collaborate in the cloud. The same technology makes telehealth appointments possible. It sends us alerts during emergencies and has transformed our classrooms.”
“The Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 is another important step forward in this government's ongoing commitment to ensuring that every Australian, regardless of their circumstances or their postcode, can stay connected and rely on a telecommunications system that is equitable, is held responsible and fundamentally is built on trust. This bill was first introduced in February 2025 and passed the House without amendment. It was considered by the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills but lapsed when the 47th Parliament was prorogued. It is an important bill because telecommunications connectivity is central to our lives and to everything we do. It's something that we all hold in common, no matter whether you live in regional Queensland or in the cities.”
“The ACCC indicated that many of the consumers were vulnerable, were experiencing disadvantage, were financially dependent or unemployed, didn't have English as a first language, or were First Nations people from regional and remote areas. In short, many of those most heavily impacted were the most vulnerable Australians in our nation. These tactics are fundamentally unethical. Targeting individuals who are already vulnerable, whether due to financial hardship, language barriers, unemployment or geographic isolation, indicates a calculated exploitation of those least equipped to advocate for themselves. In a fair, just and decent place, these practices have no place.”
“In 2025, Optus agreed to a fine of $100 million for engaging in unconscionable conduct with consumers—conduct that included selling telecommunications goods and services that consumers did not want, that consumers did not need, that consumers could not use and that consumers could not afford. In some cases, this included selling products where there was no Optus coverage. If we've learnt one thing, if we know one thing to be true, it is that, in this country, when you pick up the phone there is an expectation—a reasonable one—that you can get through. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission originally brought the court action against Optus.”