Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects) Share this | Hansard source

It falls to me to sum up debate on the Communications Legislation Amendment (Deregulation and Other Measures) Bill 2015. The debate has been, I think, concise and effective. The shadow minister described the bills before the House this morning—I felt, uncharitably—as a rudimentary cleaning up exercise. I do not think that is any way an accurate characterisation of the measures in the bills before the House this morning. There are a range of measures which will reduce the regulatory burden on participants in the communications sector—for example, the bill will remove duplicative requirements for licensees, publishers and controllers to notify the Australian Communications and Media Authority of certain changes in control.

I want to particularly highlight the measures in the bill which will amend the Telecommunications Act and the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act, to enable the telecommunications industry to develop an industry-based scheme for the management of telephone numbering resources, potentially enabling greater efficiencies if industry develops a suitable scheme. Far from the dismissive characterisation given by the shadow minister that this bill comprises a series of rudimentary cleaning up exercises, this provision is, in fact, one potentially which could lead to a very significant change in the way the telecommunications industry deals with numbering. Presently, numbering is substantively handled by the regulator—the Australian Communications and Media Authority. In other countries, including the US and New Zealand, to a greater or lesser extent there are arrangements for the industry itself to manage the allocation of telephone numbers. It goes without saying that telephone numbers are an essential part of the operation of telecommunications networks, both fixed and mobile. Therefore, the means by which numbers are allocated to carriers and, in turn, their customers is an important part of the system working overall for the benefit of users.

The structure of the measures in the bill essentially establishes a framework under which the minister can—if he decided that he is satisfied—accept a proposal or a plan put forward by industry to assume control of numbering on a self-regulatory basis. There is plenty of work that needs to be done, but that framework allows a pathway, should the industry do that work. If that is done, then, in my view, it is going to be of significant importance and it will be an important deregulatory measure.

The bills are a further step in the Turnbull government's ongoing commitment to boost productivity by reducing onerous regulation while maintaining consumer safeguards. I commend the bills to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

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