Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The government is supporting Senator Xenophon’s amendment (18). This amendment requires the minister, before making or varying a functional separation requirements determination, to publish the determination or variation and to undertake a public consultation process about the determination or variation for a period of 14 days. The minister is also required to ask the ACCC to give advice within 28 days after the publication of the determination or variation. This amendment addresses concerns raised by the Competitive Carriers’ Coalition and Macquarie Telecom in their submissions to the inquiry into the bill by the Senate Standing Committee on Environment and Communications.