Laws passed to better protect telco consumers

Key points

• New laws passed by Parliament will allow the Australian Communications and Media Authority to act faster against telecommunications providers that breach industry rules. Penalties have increased about 40 times, to more than $10 million in some cases, and can be based on the benefit gained from a breach or a provider's turnover.
• The law also creates a registration scheme for carriage service providers, allowing the regulator to stop providers it considers unsafe from operating.
• Minister for Communications Anika Wells said the changes will better protect customers, particularly those facing financial hardship or domestic, family and sexual violence.