Telecommunications

Gorman defended the government's actions, stating that Optus admitted to deviating from established processes and failing to manage its network. Gorman argued that the minister had held a press conference on Saturday and that ACMA was conducting a necessary investigation into Optus's compliance with existing regulations. Gorman criticised the opposition for undermining the regulator and for complaining about the speed of legislation, noting that the government acted on the first sitting day to strengthen accountability.

Burnell emphasised that Optus had a legal and moral duty to ensure emergency calls connected, which it failed to do. Burnell supported the new legislation, highlighting the establishment of the Triple Zero Custodian and new powers for ACMA to issue binding directions to carriers. Burnell argued that these measures would ensure transparency and prevent future failures, restoring public trust in the emergency services system.

Kennedy argued that the government was reactive rather than proactive, noting that a review 18 months prior had recommended the custodian role. Kennedy criticised the government for voting against amendments to double penalties and classify triple 0 as critical infrastructure. Kennedy also raised concerns about the government's delay in acting on the Murphy report regarding online gambling harms, suggesting a pattern of inaction in the minister's portfolio.

Miller-Frost highlighted Optus's significant profits in 2025, arguing that the company should be held to strict legal requirements. Miller-Frost noted that under the previous government, telcos were not required to report breaches. Miller-Frost stated that the fault lay solely with Optus, whose system failed to redirect calls, and supported the government's bill as a necessary step to enforce existing laws and ensure accountability.

Violi argued that the government's rejection of amendments to double penalties and classify triple 0 as critical infrastructure demonstrated a lack of accountability. Violi stated that the minister was out of her depth and that the government was protecting Optus over the Australian people. Violi criticised the decision to vote against an independent committee, suggesting it was an attempt to avoid scrutiny of the minister's performance.

Cook characterised the outage as a severe breakdown by a private firm in fulfilling its social duties. Cook compared the current government's rapid response with the former government's lack of action during a 2018 outage. Cook backed the bill to codify the Triple Zero Custodian and empower ACMA to hold corporations accountable, ensuring the triple 0 system remains a reliable lifeline.

Venning highlighted the severe impact of the outage on regional and remote communities, where triple 0 is the only reliable path to emergency help. Venning criticised the government for scrapping the Mobile Black Spot Program and for the regulator's failure to detect the issue promptly. Venning called for an independent review of the entire triple 0 ecosystem, arguing that ACMA should not investigate itself.

Byrnes detailed the government's six key points to strengthen the triple 0 system, including real-time reporting and mandatory improvement plans. Byrnes noted that Optus had failed to redirect calls to alternative networks as required by law. Byrnes argued that the new legislation provided decisive action to protect Australians and ensure telcos faced significant consequences for future failures.