Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025

Ms WELLS (Lilley—Minister for Sport and Minister for Communications) (09:44): I thank the member for Indi for this amendment. At the outset, I will state that the government will be supporting her amendment. This bill will create a power for the minister to determine circumstances in which a provider would not have an obligation under the UOMO by legislative instrument.

This approach is consistent with existing universal services arrangements where legislative instruments have been made to determine circumstances in which USO and statutory infrastructure provider obligations do not need to be met—for example, in circumstances where it is unsafe to perform work or where practical impediments make provision unreasonable. The circumstances in which it is reasonable to expect mobile coverage to be available can change as technology and the market develop, and it is therefore important that the regulatory framework can be adjusted in response.

The member's proposed amendment would require that any determination made under this section be accompanied by a statement setting out how the circumstance or matters were determined and the expected impacts on the reasonable availability of services. Given universal mobile services are uncharted territory and given the vital importance of improving connectivity for rural and regional communities, the government believes an additional level of transparency is warranted.

Put simply, there must be a high bar for allowing providers to avoid UOMO in specific circumstances, and it is reasonable to require that the government clearly outlines the decision-making process if such determination is to be made. For that reason, we will be supporting the amendment, and I thank the member for Indi for her engagement on this matter. Question agreed to.