ACCANect 2022: Better Basics

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the many First Nations where we are today, and pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

I also acknowledge any First Nations people who are attending this event.

I am proud to be a member of a government which is fully committed to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, including long overdue constitutional recognition.

Introduction

My thanks to Dierdre O’Donnell and ACCAN, for asking me to address you and – given it is a sitting day in Parliament – for allowing me to do so in this fashion.

Earlier this year, Australians chose a new Government.

As a Member of that Government, it was an honour to have been sworn in as the Minister for Communications.

It gives me a unique opportunity to give the communications portfolio back its purpose.

I may be a new Minister – but I’m certainly not new to the issues or to ACCAN’s strong advocacy for effective and robust consumer safeguards.

Particularly the need to focus on the right settings to support affordable and quality broadband services. Our Government wants consumers to have the best possible service experience. 

Wholesalers – such as NBN Co – should be accountable to retail providers, who in turn should be more accountable to their customers.

Special Access Undertaking

These types of issues have also arisen through recent consideration of NBN Co’s Special Access Undertaking (SAU).

The process to vary NBN Co’s undertaking with the ACCC offers the best prospect of a regulatory outcome that serves the long-term interests of consumers.

However, I formed the view that the original variation proposal – submitted in March – was not fit for purpose or acceptable.

For example, NBN Co would have had the opportunity to increase prices on some products by CPI plus 3 per cent a year.

NBN Co’s revised SAU proposal needs to reflect the changes in the policy landscape and the Government’s plan for NBN Co, including that we will retain it in public ownership for the foreseeable future.

That’s why in July I wrote to the ACCC and – along with the Finance Minister – to NBN Co to communicate the Government’s support for NBN Co withdrawing its original variation proposal and developing a revised one.

The revised SAU needs to provide a framework that ensures NBN services remain affordable, while also ensuring NBN Co remains a commercially sustainable company that can efficiently invest in Australia’s future connectivity needs.

It’s critical the revised SAU also supports consumers receiving the quality of service they need.

The Finance Minister and I will be issuing a revised Statement of Expectations to NBN Co setting out the Government’s objectives for the company. The Government will also set a clear and realistic expectation about returns we expect on the NBN investment through the Corporate Plan process.

This work creates space for the parties to work positively together to develop a forward-looking proposal. For example, historic concepts such as the Initial Cost Recovery Account (ICRA) could be changed or reconsidered.

All stakeholders should work constructively to progress the SAU variation so the process can be concluded early next year and be ready for implementation from 1 July 2023.

In my view, it would be failure for all involved if the SAU variation process did not deliver a positive outcome.

This process will play out over time and –while I’m sure it is ‘not news’ to some of you – the SAU example shows how experience matters in navigating what can be a highly technical regulatory environment.

Rural and Regional Australia

I not only bring experience to my new role, but also clear policy commitments which we took to Australians at the last election.

One of the Albanese Government’s top priorities is improving the quality, resilience and reliability of telecommunications services for regional Australians – as set out in our Better Connectivity Plan.

Within my first 30 days as Minister, we put this plan into action: $480 million was provided to NBN Co towards a significant upgrade and expansion of the NBN fixed wireless network.

This upgrade will expand fixed wireless coverage to include 120,000 premises currently served by satellite-only.

And all 755,000 premises in the expanded fixed wireless footprint will benefit from access to increased download speeds.

The 300,000 premises remaining in the satellite footprint will benefit from increases in Sky Muster data allowances and product inclusions.

Our Government has also committed to enabling an additional 1.5 million premises to transition from Fibre to the Node to Fibre to the Premises, in the NBN fixed-line footprint, by 2025.

A significant proportion of which will be in regional areas.

This will bring the total number of premises able to access gigabit speeds to around 10 million and deliver the high-speed broadband capabilities so central to Labor’s vision for the National Broadband Network 15 years ago.

When it comes to helping rural and regional Australia, we have hit the ground running.

Managing the impact of natural disaster

Of course, telecommunications infrastructure and services can be severely impacted by natural disasters – particularly in a country as vast as Australia.



In my capacity as a local Member of Parliament, the Shadow Minister for Communications and now the Minister, I’ve seen and heard firsthand countless horrifying stories of telecommunications services and emergency warning systems failing when they’re needed most.



For Australians stuck in the middle of disaster zones, access to reliable telecommunications services can literally mean the difference between life and death.



Our Government recognises we can and must do more.



That’s why we are continuing to the implement Strengthening Telecommunications Against Natural Disasters Package – also known as STAND – to boost telecommunications resilience during emergencies.



Yet we won’t stop there.



Our Government’s Disaster Ready Fund will invest up to $200 million per year on infrastructure resilience in at-risk communities – including essential telecommunications improvements.

I welcome the industry’s willingness to work constructively with government to improve the natural disaster resilience of our communications networks.

Online safety

There is no denying that without confidence in the online environment, Australians will fail to realise the full benefits of connectivity and the digital economy.

Sadly, research indicates that:

• Women are more likely than men to experience online abuse – particularly abuse that is sexualised, violent or threatening; and
• People who identify as LGBTQI+ or as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experience online hate speech at more than double the national average.

We know that Australians overwhelmingly reject online hate speech targeted at vulnerable people, and the majority support action to stem it’s spread.

Labor has a strong track record on online safety. We supported the passage of the new Online Safety Act earlier this year, and are working closely with the eSafety Commissioner as that legislation is implemented. But there is more to be done.

We support a robust and responsive online safety framework that addresses emerging harms and protects those most vulnerable to abuse.

We understand that a safe online environment is essential to a strong and resilient telecommunications industry, and that industry itself has a role to play in supporting online safety for Australians.

First Nations

You will also have seen a very clear message from the new Government that Indigenous Australia matters… the Uluru Statement from the Heart matters… Closing the Gap matters.

The Uluru Statement is a constructive, generous and patient call for genuine collaboration.

We must respond to that offer with a similar level of constructive and respectful generosity.

We have inherited a massive challenge in terms of closing the digital inclusion gap. I welcome your energy and engagement in delivering serious structured programs which make a real difference.

I will also ensure that indigenous voices are heard loudly and clearly in the communications sector and policy space.

Conclusion

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you.

2022 marks 15 years since Labor took office and committed to building a national high-speed broadband network.

The Albanese Government understands the importance of digital connectivity, including mobile services, for all Australians. 

And I have been very clear that our Government places high importance on affordable prices and a quality, resilient network.

Whether it’s the SAU variation process, the implementation of our Better Connectivity Plan and Disaster Ready Fund, or works to improve online safety for all Australians, I look forward to working closely with ACCAN to deliver good policy for the benefit of all Australians.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to share this message with you today and I wish you well for this year’s National Conference.