Consultations and submissions

The Government will make available funding of $5 million over 4 years for 10 industry peak bodies in 10 different industry sectors to develop Digital Business Kits to help small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and not for profit (NfPs) organisations in their respective industry sectors to get online and take advantage of the National Broadband Network (NBN). Consultation on the draft funding guidelines has now opened. Interested national peak bodies are invited to provide their comments by 29 May 2013.

The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy is seeking comments on draft amendments to the Radiocommunications Regulations 1993 (the Regulations) which incorporate a regulation for the supply of cellular mobile repeaters (repeaters).

Two new discussion papers were released on Spectrum Square on 28 March 2013. These papers explore the role of secondary markets for spectrum in Australia and consider how secondary spectrum markets can be facilitated.

Comments are being sought on all papers released to date on Spectrum Square, up to and including the secondary markets papers, by cob Friday 31 May 2013.

The Spectrum Square provides a forum for industry and other stakeholders as well as members of the public to raise spectrum issues, make submissions, put forward ideas and discuss spectrum policy matters in a more open and less formal environment. The following discussion papers have been released on Spectrum Square:

• • Enabling regulatory amendments
• • Priority review of spectrum band use
• • The spectrum management framework
• • The objects of the Radiocommunications Act 1992
• • The role of secondary markets for spectrum, and
• • Facilitating secondary markets for spectrum.

Public consultation is underway on proposed amendments to Australia’s submarine cable protection regime in Schedule 3A to the Telecommunications Act 1997. Comments are sought from interested parties on the draft bill. Submissions close on 19 April 2013.

The Department released a draft instrument for comment which would allow the Commonwealth, the ACT Government and ACTEW Corporation (an ACT Government Business enterprise) to make their respective networks in the Australian Capital Territory available to one another for limited specified uses without the need to meet the carrier licensing requirements of the Telecommunications Act 1997. Submissions closed on 21 February 2013.

The government is proposing to amend the Telecommunications Universal Service Obligation (Standard Telephone Service-Requirements and Circumstances) Determination (No. 1) 2011 and has released a consultation paper for comment.

Public comments were sought on legislative reforms necessary to deliver the government’s Universal Service Policy in an NBN environment. A three-bill reform package, designed to establish and regulate the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency (TUSMA), passed the House of Representatives on 8 February 2012.

A public consultation is in progress on proposed changes to the pre-selection arrangements that enable any consumer with a standard telephone service to choose a service provider, other than the provider that supplies local calls, for national long-distance calls, international calls and calls to mobile phones. Submissions closed on 8 December 2011.

On 10 August 2011 the Minister released for public comment draft amendments to the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 1997 and the Telecommunications Regulations 2001 to facilitate the NBN rollout. The submission period closed on 7 September 2011.

The Australian Government has established an independent inquiry into the Australian media to examine the pressures facing newspapers, online publications and their newsrooms as well as the operation of the Australian Press Council.

The Australian Government is conducting a review of the performance of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) in its first two years of operation. The period for submissions closed on 19 October 2011.

As part of the 2010–11 Budget the government announced a review of its investment in the Indigenous broadcasting and media sector. The review aims to ensure that the resources allocated to Indigenous broadcasting deliver the best outcomes for Indigenous people.

Information on the Australian Government’s Convergence Review and how to comment on the draft Terms of Reference for the Review of communications and media regulation, including ways to comment on the Convergence Review Committee's Interim Report.

Comments were sought on a draft legislative instrument to extend the current Telstra retail price control arrangements by two years to 30 June 2012.

On 6 May 2010 the Australian Government released the National Broadband Network Implementation Study, which examines the Government’s coverage, commerciality and competition objectives, as well as the detailed operating and structural arrangements of NBN Co Limited and future private sector investment and privatisation.

As part of the introduction of ISP filtering, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has made a commitment to consult publicly on the process that leads to the addition of RC material on the RC content list for mandatory ISP filtering and the means for reviewing those decisions. Submissions closed on 12 February 2010.

Outlines key issues on which the Government has sought submissions. Public submissions will provide input to the development of NBN legislation.

The Australian Government sought stakeholders' views on approaches to address regional backbone blackspots through the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program stakeholder consultation paper.

Information about the Australian Government’s Backhaul Blackspots Initiative, a $250 million investment to immediately address backhaul blackspots throughout regional Australia.

The Government is working with business and other stakeholders on the future of Australia's digital economy. A future directions paper was developed, covering the role of stakeholders in ensuring that the Government's digital economy initiatives are maximised. Submissions to the development of this paper are now available.

Find information about consultations and calls for submissions relating to the Australian Government's plans to establish a new open access, high-speed, fibre-based broadband network.