Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories) Share this | Hansard source

I thank those members who've contributed to the debate on the Telstra Corporation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021. I also thank the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for its report on the bill and its recommendation that the bill be passed. This bill will amend a range of telecommunications legislation to maintain regulatory obligations that protect consumers and promote competition, in response to Telstra's proposed restructure. These obligations cover core parts of Telstra's longstanding regulatory arrangements, including its corporate obligations put in place at the time of its privatisation. Without legislative amendment, there is a risk that Telstra's obligations would become less effective or cease to apply to its successor entities following this or any future restructure.

While there have been significant changes in the telecommunications industry over the past decade, Telstra continues to play a key role nationally in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote Australia. Telstra's role has long been underpinned by a range of regulated consumer safeguards, including the universal service obligation, which requires Telstra to deliver basic telephone and payphone services in rural and remote areas; the customer service guarantee; the network reliability framework; priority assistance; and the operation of the triple 0 emergency call service.

The effect of this legislation is that the obligations which presently apply to Telstra under its current organisational structure will continue to apply following Telstra's restructuring. This in turn will be important to achieving the continued protection of consumers, promotion of competition and support of Telstra's public interest roles in Australia's telecommunications market. I commend the bill to the House.

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