Drafts for Public Comment

In the course of preparation of an ATA Publication, a draft is released for public comment. Immediately below is/are the current draft(s) that is/are available for public comment. Drafts may be downloaded and reviewed off-line.

You can use the Submit Comments form to submit your comments via email or go to the Contact Us webpage to obtain other contact methods such as by post.

All submissions received will be made publicly available on the ATA website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

Once a period for public comment has ended the usual process is for the group that developed the draft (e.g. a Working Committee) to review any public comments on the draft and then work towards consensus on the content of the document, leading to publication of the document.

Dear Stakeholders,

The associations that represent the online industry – AMTA, ATA, CESA, DIGI, and IGEA – are writing to formally announce the launch of the public consultation process reviewing the Unlawful Material Codes (Phase 1 Online Safety Codes).

As a valued partner across civil society, government, or industry, your expertise is key to contributing to the ongoing strength and adaptability of Australia’s core co-regulatory safeguards.

About the Review

Following their registration by the eSafety Commissioner, these codes include obligations on digital services across the tech stack from hosting services to ISPs, search engines, app stores and social media services to take action against the most serious unlawful online content, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), pro-terror material, and material promoting extreme violence. The Unlawful Material Codes form a crucial part of Australia’s world leading online safety framework. Australia’s system, co-developed between the industry and the regulator, meets or exceeds those comparable regimes in breadth of services covered and the range of harmful content addressed.

Specifically, the discussion paper invites feedback on three core priorities:

• Technological Adaptability: Assessing how platforms detect and manage risks associated with new generative AI tools, LLMs, and synthetic media.
• Policy Integration: Evaluating the code settings alongside the eSafety Unlawful Material Standards, recent Age-Restricted Material Codes, and upcoming federal policy frameworks such as the proposed Digital Duty of Care.
• Technical & Operational Clarity: Rectifying drafting ambiguities and terminology inconsistencies to give providers clearer enforcement targets.

How to Lodge a Submission

The full Consultation Discussion Paper and review Terms of Reference are available to read at www.onlinesafety.org.au.
We invite formal written submissions addressing any or all of the discussion questions. Submissions can be uploaded directly via the online safety portal or emailed as an attachment to hello@onlinesafety.org.au.

Please note that to maintain transparency throughout this statutory review, all received submissions will be published publicly on our portal unless explicit commercial confidentiality is requested and approved.

Closing Date: All responses must be received by 11:59 PM AEST on Tuesday, 9 July 2026.

We look forward to receiving your submission and appreciate your ongoing contribution to Australia’s safety-by-design ecosystem.

Sincerely,
Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA)
Australian Telecommunications Alliance (ATA)
Consumer Electronics Suppliers Association (CESA)
Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI)
Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA)

More information

How were the draft codes developed?
Australia’s Online Safety Act 2021 (OSA) requires that industry associations representing these sections develop the codes on behalf of the industry. A group of industry associations closely engaged with an extensive group of companies across these sections with the technical know-how and experience in managing Class 1A and Class 1B material online. The codes were reviewed and accepted for registration by the eSafety Commissioner in 2023 and 2024 (see above). Under the OSA, the codes are now due to be reviewed.

What is happening in the review of the Class 1A and Class 1B Material (Unlawful Material Codes)?
The review must consider a minimum set of matters, as required by Clause 7.6(d) of the Head Terms. The industry representatives responsible for the review are now seeking your input as a stakeholder on the draft Terms of Reference for the Review of the Online Safety Codes for Class 1A and Class 1B Material (Unlawful Material Codes), which sets out these required matters and key areas of focus.

In future, any proposed changes to the codes under the review will be subject to public consultation.

What is Class 1A and Class 1B material?
Class 1A is any material which:

• promotes or provides instruction of paedophile activity (‘child sexual exploitation’),
• advocates the doing of a terrorist act, including terrorist manifestos (‘pro-terror’),
• describes, depicts, expresses or otherwise deals with matters of extreme crime, cruelty or violence (including sexual violence) without justification (for example, murder, suicide, torture and rape), (‘extreme crime and violence’), or
• promotes, incites or instructs in matters of extreme crime or violence (‘extreme crime and violence’).

Class 1B is any material which:

• describes, depicts, expresses or otherwise deals with matters of crime, cruelty or violence without justification (‘crime and violence’),
• promotes, incites or instructs in matters of crime or violence (‘crime and violence’),
• describes, depicts, expresses or otherwise deals with matters of drug misuse or addiction without justification (‘drug-related content’), or
• includes detailed instruction or promotion of prescribed drug use (‘drug-related content’).

Once a period for public comment has ended the usual process is for the group that developed the draft (e.g. a Working Committee) to review any public comments on the draft and then work towards consensus on the content of the document, leading to publication of the document.

The documents listed below are drafts on which the period for public comment has ended. These documents are provided for reference.

DR S042-1_2025_A1_2026

AS/CA S042.1:2025 specifies requirements for Customer Equipment designed or intended for connection to:

• a Public Mobile Telecommunications Service (PMTS) and operating as an addressable device; or
• a Satellite Service and operating as an addressable device.

The proposed amendment addresses a change to the name of the national cell broadcast emergency messaging system, updating references from National Messaging System (NMS) to AusAlert.

You can use the Submit Comments form to submit your comments via email or go to the Contact Us webpage to obtain other contact methods such as by post.
All submissions received will be made publicly available on the Australian Telecommunications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CLOSED AT 5:00 P.M. (AEST) ON MONDAY 8 MAY 2026

DR G642:2025

The G642 Industry Guideline provides guidance for installation of Broadcast Cabling and broadcast interfaces used with Broadcast Equipment intended for connection to a C/CSP’s Telecommunications Network. The requirements in this Guideline seek to provide recommendations which are consistent with the aims of the Telecommunications Act 1997.  Specifically these aims are to protect the integrity of a Telecommunications Network, and to protect the health and safety of persons.

The primary objective of this revision is to update the requirements to align with the updated Cabling Provider Rules provisions, broadcast interfaces and referenced Standards for broadcast equipment, and the acronyms and definitions used in the Guideline. Older, unused Standards for broadcast interfaces have been removed from the Guideline as the industry’s transition to newer technologies continues.  Specific references to ‘Digital’ broadcast were removed, recognising that digital modalities are now standard practice across the industry where the Guideline is applicable.  References to Codecs, Internet Protocols and broadcast-related data stream formats and data mapping were also removed, as the Guideline appropriately focusses on cabling and interfaces rather than data protocols and translation.

You can use the Submit Comments form to submit your comments via email or go to the Contact Us webpage to obtain other contact methods such as by post.

All submissions received will be made publicly available on the Australian Telecommunications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CLOSES AT 5:00 P.M. (AEDT) ON MONDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2025

C637:2019 Mobile Premium Services (MPS)
G639:2020 Mobile Premium Services Mandatory Information

The C637:2019 Mobile Premium Services (MPS) – Incorporating Variation No.1/2021 Industry Code is designed to establish appropriate community safeguards and Customer service requirements for Mobile Premium Services.

C637:2019 is included on the register of industry codes maintained by the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) under Part 6 of the Telecommunications Act 1997.

The G639:2020 Mobile Premium Services Mandatory Information Industry Guideline is a related document that assists in interpreting:
– the Code rules relating to the Register
– the Code rules relating to the 19 Service Finder; and
– the Code rules relating to the provision of customer expenditure management information.

Given:
– Mobile Network Operators no longer offer Mobile Premium Services to their customers and have not for quite some time; and
– the ACMA recently, as part of an update to the Numbering Plan, reallocated the 19XX number range (previously used for MPS) as Internet of Things data only services;

then Australian Telecommunications Alliance believes both C637:2019 and the related document G639:2020 are now redundant and can be withdrawn. Therefore, the Australian Telecommunications Alliance invites comment on its proposal to:

• Withdraw G639:2020; and
• Apply to ACMA to remove C637:2019 from the ACMA register of industry codes and then, subject to an Authority decision on this application, withdraw C637:2019.

You can use the Submit Comments form to submit your comments via email or go to the Contact Us webpage to obtain other contact methods such as by post.

All submissions received will be made publicly available on the Australian Telecommunications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CLOSED AT 5:00 P.M. ON THURSDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2025

• ACCAN
• TIO

The AS/CA S035 Standard specifies requirements for the installation of temporary field cabling by Department of Defence personnel and overseas defence forces for defence purposes during exercise, training or operational deployment by the Department of Defence (DoD), or overseas defence forces exercising with Australian DoD personnel. It should be read in conjunction with other referenced Standards.

The primary objective of this revision is to update the requirements to align with AS/CA S009:2020 Installation Requirements for Customer Cabling (Wiring Rules) and AS/NZS 62368.1 Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment, Part 1: Safety requirements.

You can use the Submit Comments form to submit your comments via email or go to the Contact Us webpage to obtain other contact methods such as by post.

All submissions received will be made publicly available on the Australian Telecommunications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CLOSED AT 5:00 P.M. (AEST) ON FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2025

Comments

• Individual submission

DR C628:2025 and
Public consultation questions

This Code sets out additional customer protection requirements for the interactions between Carriage Service Providers (CSPs) and consumers in areas where extra protections are required, over and above the requirements set out in economy-wide or telecommunications-specific legislation and regulation.

It also provides limited guidance on key consumer-related requirements and guidance covered elsewhere.

This draft represents a substantial update to the 2019 Code. Key changes are highlighted in the public consultation questions, which also includes a number of questions which the Australian Telecommunications Alliance is particularly interested in understanding your views on.

You can use the Submit Comments form to submit your comments via email, or Contact Us for alternative options.

Please also contact us if you have any questions or require clarification on any issue.

All submissions received will be made publicly available on the Australian Telecommunications Alliance website unless the submitter requests otherwise.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CLOSED AT 5:00 P.M. (AEDST) ON FRIDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2025

All submissions are available here.