Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mobile phones have changed the way we live, but not always for the better. As phones moved from the kitchen counter to our pockets we became more accessible, easier to contact and, unfortunately, more accessible by scammers. Last year we saw a 37 per cent increase in SMS scams reported, compared to 2022. This year alone we've, tragically, seen almost $6 million lost in SMS scams. Of course, not all scam losses are reported, so the real cost is far greater. But what is crystal clear is that scammers are exploiting the digitisation of our economy. The Albanese government recognises this and is acting. We understand that urgent action is needed, and that is what this bill is all about.

The Telecommunications Amendment (SMS Sender ID Register) Bill 2024 will require the Australian Communications and Media Authority to establish and maintain an SMS sender ID register. This register will be used to verify senders like myGov, AusPost and, importantly for Victorians, toll providers. It will help protect Australians from sophisticated scams which target our most vulnerable.

It is hard to imagine an Australian who has not received a scam text message purporting to be from a bank or a toll road operator. I've received them myself, and I hear from so many of my constituents who are fed up with the onslaught of scams targeting their inboxes. That's why, under this bill, telcos would need to confirm whether messages using sender ID were being sent by authorised parties, and, if not, they would be blocked or include a warning. These fraudsters operate domestically and overseas and use sophisticated technologies to trick innocent Australians into divulging sensitive information in order to steal their money or their personal information. The consequent financial losses and stress suffered are immense. At a time when the cost of living is putting pressure on everyday Australians, our government is acting to reduce the anxiety of potential identity theft, financial loss and personal safety.

Earlier this year, the Minister for Financial Services and I hosted a scam awareness forum in Torquay, where we heard firsthand about these challenges from community members. One community member said they'd lost thousands of dollars to a scammer. Many others in the room shared similar stories about friends and loved ones. It was not easy to hear. People have lost their life savings. It does take courage, however, to admit you are a victim of scammers. I understand that people will feel uncomfortable admitting to a packed-out room that they've been scammed, but it's so important that victims reach out for help and share their stories. It's these stories that help inform police and government, at all levels, on how to tackle scammers and put in place support for victims. I am proud that our government has listened and is acting to put in place more supports for scam victims. I am also proud that these measures are having an impact in bringing down losses to scams. Data released by the ACCC in April this year indicated that estimated scam losses went down by 13.1 per cent from 2022 to 2023. However, while losses have decreased and progress is being made, Australians are still losing way too much.

There is no silver bullet to eliminate scam activity. Scammers will adapt and utilise new methods to contact would-be victims, but the creation of this register will complement our anti-scam measures and make it much harder for scammers. Once operational, this register will be used to decrease the frequency and impact of SMS impersonation scams on consumers. It will increase protections for legitimate brands and agencies against bad actors impersonating them, disrupt the business models for SMS impersonation scams, restore public confidence in SMS as a communication channel and ultimately make Australia a harder target for scam activity.

We know the changes arising from the Telecommunications Amendment (SMS Sender ID Register) Bill 2024 can't be put in place overnight, but that's why the bill allows for a deferred commencement date. As part of that, we'll make clear that, if the provisions do not commence within six months, they will commence on the day after the day ending that period. This recognises that the ACMA will require time to finalise technical and operational aspects of the register, which are likely to be complex. According to this bill, it provides that the ACMA must establish the register as soon as is practicable. The bill defines what is meant by a 'sender identification' and will also provide the Minister for Communications with the authority to determine other communication services which employ sender identifications that may be registered in the future. The essential elements for applications, refusal of applications, prevention of impersonation of sender identifications and removal of entries from the register are explicitly embedded in the bill. However, new powers will be conferred on the ACMA to make determinations. These will set out further requirements for access to the register and its administration and operation.

This is important work and will complement the progress our government has made in combating scams. Our government has already delivered an additional $67.5 million in the 2024-25 budget as part of our second tranche of reforms to crack down on scammers. The success of our phase 1 measures reinforces our resolve to take on these criminals. The budget funding supports the introduction of mandatory industry codes and increased use of the secure e-invoicing network. Under our government, industry codes will start with banks, telcos, social media, digital messaging and search advertising services, and we will require these groups to have measures in place to prevent, detect, disrupt, respond to and report scams. This will be complemented by strong regulator enforcement action, penalties for noncompliance and victim compensation where wrongdoing occurs. The government will also provide regulators with $37.3 million to administer and enforce the mandatory industry codes. This includes $12.4 million for the Australian Communications and Media Authority over four years to oversee the review and improvement of its existing scam call and SMS code for telcos and boost reinforcement action to prevent, detect and disrupt scams. The budget also provides $180 million for the ATO to identify and stop fraudsters, which will include IT system upgrades to block attempts to break into taxpayer accounts.

There's clear evidence that our scam crackdown is working, but losses remain far too high. As our economy continues rapidly down the path of digitisation, we can expect this pace of change to accelerate. The profound impact of this change has a direct bearing on the expectations of government and business. The first responsibility of government is to keep its people secure. The responsibility of business is to abide by the laws of the country in which they operate. Globalisation and its impact on society, culture and the economy challenges the way government and businesses approach these responsibilities, but it does not displace them. Time and distance have become compressed. Information is transmitted around the world through digital platforms and SMS in an instant. Goods are purchased online in a global marketplace before being delivered rapidly to your door—even in the smallest regional towns. Retail transactions and finance are now overwhelmingly digital. All of this is facilitated by enormous amounts of personal data being stored and shared throughout the economy. The pandemic only accelerated this trend, and that's why we are implementing an ambitious anti-scam agenda. It's why we continue to introduce strategies that protect people's hard-earned savings and make it harder for scammers to operate.

We want to be a world leader when it comes to scam prevention. This bill will go a long way towards making that a reality and saving many people from losing their life savings.

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