Australian Telecommunications Alliance Welcomes Telco Elements of Government’s Red Tape Repeal Day
Sydney, 19 March 2014 – Australian Telecommunications Alliance CEO John Stanton today welcomed the telco-related measures within the Omnibus Repeal Day (Autumn 2014) Bill, introduced into Federal Parliament.
Mr Stanton said the Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, Parliamentary Secretary Paul Fletcher, their advisers and Department had engaged effectively to date with industry to identify regulation that can be removed to the benefit of consumers and industry.
If passed, the repeal bill will remove most of Part 23 of the Telecommunications Act, dealing with standard form agreements. This move recognises that the requirements were made obsolete by the provisions of the revised Australian Telecommunications Alliance Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code, which came into force in 2012.
“We are also pleased with the streamlining of the requirements for carriage service providers to lodge access agreements with the ACCC, and with the newly created ability for Comms Alliance to amend Codes, rather than having to open them up for full revision,” Mr Stanton said.
He said priority was now being given to reaching agreement on a larger and more complex package of telco-related reforms which industry hoped to see included in the second repeal day, later in 2014.
ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE
Australian Telecommunications Alliance is the primary communications industry body in Australia. Its membership is drawn from a wide cross-section of the communications industry, including carriers, carriage and internet service providers, content providers, platform providers, equipment vendors, IT companies, consultants and business groups.
Its vision is to be the most influential association in Australian communications, co-operatively initiating programs that promote sustainable industry development, innovation and growth, while generating positive outcomes for customers and society.
The prime mission of Australian Telecommunications Alliance is to create a co-operative stakeholder environment that allows the industry to take the lead on initiatives which grow the Australian communications industry, enhance the connectivity of all Australians and foster the highest standards of business behaviour.
Media information contact:
info@austelco.org.au
