Telcos Lashed by Parliamentarians From Both Sides Because of Regional Performance

Several mobile network operators in Australia and NBN Co were caught in the middle of a firing line of a broad cross-party collection of federal MPs. This was succeeded with the release of the 2021 Regional Telecommunications Review. In parallel to this, a government MP also seeks to pass legislation that could see telcos and individual execs facing multi-million-dollar fines over their regional performance.

Rebekha Sharkie, Centre Alliance MP, proposed a wide-ranging motion that called on the government to: establish a regional telecommunications fund, ensure that Australians still using ADSL services have access to higher quality or equivalent fixed services, and create a targeted concessional NBN service to support low-income households in regional and remote areas. Liberal MP Julian Leeser seconded this motion. While the motion was not immediately put to a vote, it drew support from Liberal MP Tony Pasin and National MP Anne Webster, as well as Labor MPs Brian Mitchell, Kristy McBain, and Susan Templeman. 

Leeser said that “It's time the telcos took their heads out of the sand and started to deal with the real problems Australians face every single day. The appalling customer service, the outright lies they tell about connectivity, and the fact that at times of natural disaster, they are missing in action and unaccountable for failing to provide these services.”

Nevertheless, Templeman said that the NBN committee of the parliament has prepared a new report that is “ready to go” but has not yet been signed off. “But for eight months now, since the end of March, the member for Indi [independent MP Helen Haines] and I have worked collaboratively to try and get this report finalised with the chair. Yet here we are, in the last two weeks of parliament, and there is no sign of a meeting being scheduled for the NBN committee to release the report, which will deal with a bunch of the issues that are raised in this motion — the quality of NBN coverage and the challenges that people face.”

NFF CEO Tony Mahar said that “It is encouraging to see the importance of regional connectivity reflected in parliament's engagement with the RRRCC and our goals.”

“With our growing reliance on being digitally connected for education, health, work, and social matters, a reliable, resilient, and affordable connection can no longer be seen as a luxury.”

According to ACCAN acting CEO Andrew Williams, “With the 2021 Independent Regional Telecommunications Review being finalised at the end of this year, it is important that our policymakers and parliamentarians keep the essential nature of regional connectivity in mind.”