Bill

Telstra Corporation and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2021

passed, as at 2021-12-13. Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts portfolio.

Sponsor

Not recorded

Portfolio

Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts

Recorded stages

• introduced — 2021-10-21

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• second reading — 2021-10-21

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• second reading — 2021-11-25

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• third reading — 2021-11-29

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• introduced — 2021-11-30

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• second reading — 2021-11-30

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• second reading — 2021-12-01

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• second reading — 2021-12-01

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• third reading — 2021-12-01

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• passed — 2021-12-01

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• royal assent — 2021-12-13

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Divisions

• The majority voted in favour of *disagreeing* with an [amendment](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/debates/?id=2021-11-29.35.2) to the usual [second reading](https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/bills-and-laws/making-a-law-in-the-australian-parliament/) motion "*That this bill be now read a second time,*" which is parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill. This means that the amendment failed. ### Amendment text > *That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:* > > *"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:* > > *(1) notes:* > >> *(a) this bill seeks to preserve the operation of a range of regulatory obligations imposed on Telstra following its privatisation;* >> >> *(b) it was the Liberal-National government that privatised Telstra;* >> >> *(c) the privatisation of Telstra, in the view of many communities, had an adverse impact on regional telecommunications services; and* >> >> *(d) that Labor's decision to structurally separate Telstra, and establish a wholesale-only National Broadband Network, was a response to these failures of privatisation policy; and* > > *(2) calls on all members of the House to acknowledge the Liberal-National privatisation of Telstra, as a vertically integrated monopoly, was not in the national interest"* — 2021-11-29, House of Representatives: affirmative, ayes 68, noes 60

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Plain-language summary

Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2021-10-21.

This bill would update laws so that obligations on Telstra continue to apply to its new corporate structure after a planned restructure.

It would create new legal categories for Telstra's successor companies and give the minister and the ACMA powers to direct them to meet their duties.

Entities without a carrier licence would be deemed to hold one for up to five days while they apply, to prevent service disruptions.

• Creates the concepts of 'Telstra successor company' and 'designated Telstra successor company' to re-point existing obligations.
• Closes a loophole that could let carriers avoid facilities access obligations by transferring assets to subsidiaries.
• Provides powers for the minister and the ACMA to direct Telstra subsidiaries to meet obligations or assist other subsidiaries.
• Deems unlicensed entities that own or operate network units to hold a carrier licence for up to five days while they apply for one.
• Requires an entity with a deemed carrier licence to submit a licence application within five days.
• Transfers carrier licence conditions from InfraCo to ServeCo as part of the deemed licence.

Telstra Corporation Limited and its restructured group, including Telstra Group Limited, Telstra InfraCo Limited, Amplitel, and Telstra Limited (ServeCo), as well as other carriers and consumers.

Sources

em

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billhome

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frl act

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