Communications Alliance calls for bipartisan support of
Enhancing Consumer Safeguards Bill

12 February 2025: Communications Alliance, the peak body of the telecommunications industry, has called for bipartisan support of new legislation which will uplift regulatory protections for telecommunications consumers.

“For the past two years, Communications Alliance has been calling for stronger enforcement powers for the ACMA, and for the establishment of a telco register – the Enhancing Consumer Safeguards Bill delivers this,” said Communications Alliance CEO Luke Coleman.

“The telecoms industry is committed to delivering better outcomes for customers – telco complaints are at their lowest level in two decades, and we recognise that strong consumer safeguards are fundamental to customer trust. The new measures included in this Bill will ensure that telcos continue to be held to account by the regulator – and they will face steep fines for non-compliance with industry Codes and Standards,” he said.

The new powers for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) provide the ideal foundation for the registration of the revised Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code, the major industry Code governing how telcos interact with customers. The revised TCP Code has been in development for close to two years and will provide a significant uplift in telcos’ obligations to customers.

“The TCP Code provides a safety net above a safety net. First, industry Codes are regulated and enforced by the ACMA, and second, telcos are also subject to the Australian Consumer Law enforced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC),” Mr Coleman said.

“There is a misconception that compliance with industry Codes is voluntary – this is not the case. Codes are already registered and enforced by the ACMA – these new ACMA powers will speed up the enforcement process and subject telcos to higher penalties, ensuring the industry is held to the highest standard.”

The latest draft of TCP Code includes a number of updates to improve consumer protections, including enhanced rules for responsible selling, consumer remedies for cases of mis-selling, new fee-free payment methods, protections for consumers in vulnerable circumstances, and regular training, monitoring, and auditing of obligations to customers.

The revised draft Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code is open for public comment until February 28. Pending any further revisions, the Code will be submitted to the ACMA where, if accepted, will provide stronger safeguards for consumers when combined with ACMA’s new enforcement powers.