Submarine telecommunications cables

Submarine telecommunications cables are the underwater trunk network connections linking the Australian telecommunications network with other continents, and linking places within Australia separated by water.

Submarine cables carry about 99 per cent of Australian international telecommunications traffic, and are of critical importance to the national economy.

The Australian Government is concerned about security for international submarine fibre optic telecommunications cables, which are vulnerable to damage from several sources, particularly some kinds of fishing, anchoring and dredging.

Cable breakages impede information flow, affecting the capacity of Australians (particularly business) to conduct international transactions. Any sustained outage slows information flow, and can cause major financial losses, data loss, loss of business and damage to reputation.

The Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Protection of Submarine Cables and Other Measures) Act 2005 came into effect in September 2005. The relevant provision, Schedule 3A to the Telecommunications Act 1997, sets out a comprehensive regime for the protection of submarine cables in Australian waters.

Schedule 3A provides the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) with the authority to declare protection zones over submarine cables of national significance and to issue permits to install submarine cables in Australian waters (both within and outside protection zones).

Activities within the protection zones that are likely to cause damage to cables may be prohibited and/or restricted and are subject to heavy criminal penalties.

Before declaring a protection zone, ACMA must undertake a comprehensive consultation process including establishing an advisory committee comprised of stakeholder representatives, and must also consult with the Environment Secretary.

To date three Protection Zones have been declared by ACMA and are in effect:

• Submarine Cable (Southern Sydney Protection Zone) Declaration 2007
• Submarine Cable (Northern Sydney Protection Zone) Declaration 2007, and
• Submarine Cable (Perth Protection Zone) Declaration 2007.
  

Further information regarding the protection zones can be found on the ACMA website's Protection zones around submarine cables of national significance page.