Government calls for comment on ‘small telco red tape’ changes

The federal government has released a document detailing regulatory changes that it claims will reduce red tape for small telecommunications carriers in Australia, and called for public comment on the proposed changes.

The document is entitled Ministerial Determination: the Telecommunications (Participating Persons) Determination 2011 (No.1).

According to Senator Stephen Conroy, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, the document represents “the Gillard Government’s commitment to removing unnecessary regulatory red tape in the telecommunications industry”.

“This will be achieved by streamlining the eligible revenue assessment process for contributions to the Universal Service Obligation and National Relay Service levies,” Conroy said.

“It will reduce the regulatory compliance costs for smaller carriers as well as reduce administrative costs for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA),” he claimed.

The draft Ministerial Determination sets an eligible revenue threshold of $25 million. According to Conroy’s department, this will result in carriers with revenue of less than $25 million being relieved of their obligation to provide the ACMA with detailed revenue returns and also from contributing to the Universal Service Obligation and the National Relay Service levies.

The draft document and discussion paper are available at: www.dbcde.gov.au/broadband/national_broadband_network/telecommunications_regulatory_reform.

Submissions should be made in writing to:

The Manager
Universal Access Section
Networks Regulation Branch
Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
GPO Box 2154
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Or by email to consumersafeguardsreform@dbcde.gov.au.

Submissions close at 5 pm AEST on 16 May 2011.