Senator McLUCAS (3:20 PM) —I am pleased to be able to join this taking note debate today, and particularly to follow Senator Fisher. As a woman in this chamber, it is interesting to note that all four questions asked by the government today were asked by women. I note that only one question asked by the opposition was asked by a woman. In taking note of—

Senator Cash —We don’t have a quota system, though. I got here on merit.

Senator McLUCAS —And so did I. I would like to observe that before taking note. Hopefully, I will get an opportunity to get to the subject of the Traveston Crossing Dam, because I am sure there is plenty to say about that. What a great day this is for communications in this country. I commend Minister Conroy for the work that he has undertaken over the last 18 months or so, his openness to consult, his ability to manage the enormous portfolio responsibilities that he has and his ability to announce historic reforms to telecommunications regulation today.

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy, announced fundamental reforms today to existing telecommunications regulations in the interests—and this is the important thing—of Australian consumers and businesses. The reforms will drive future growth, productivity and innovation across all sectors of the economy by addressing Telstra’s high level of integration to promote greater competition and consumer benefits, by streamlining and simplifying the competition regime to provide more certain and quicker outcomes for telecommunications companies, by strengthening consumer safeguards to ensure service standards are maintained at a high level, and by removing redundant and inefficient regulatory red tape.

I think the important message out of today’s announcement is that consumer safeguards will be strengthened. For a person who comes from rural Australia, that is something that I know my constituency will particularly welcome. We have had difficulty ensuring access by rural, regional and remote Australians to telecommunications generally and broadband and mobile phone services in particular. I am thrilled that our government, the Labor government, has ensured that access to telecommunications services will be a priority wherever you live. I am particularly proud of that.

The universal service obligation requires Telstra as the universal service provider to enable all people in Australia to have reasonable access on an equitable basis to standard telephone services, including payphones. The legislation will strengthen the USO by enabling the minister to specify the standards, terms and conditions of services, connection and repair periods and reliability requirements of the standard telephone service. Telstra will be required to meet new minimum performance benchmarks. Failure by Telstra to meet the requirements will expose it to a civil penalty of up to $10 million.

The legislation—and I welcome this as well—will also include more stringent rules on the removal of payphones and new provisions to allow people concerned about payphone removal to apply to the Australian Communications and Media Authority to direct Telstra not to remove a payphone. Failure to comply with the new rules will expose Telstra to civil penalties or on-the-spot fines.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to get to the Traveston dam issue, but I certainly will listen with interest to Senator Macdonald’s contribution.

In closing, this is a really important day for telecommunications in Australia. We will see a revolution in terms of access to services and the ability of services to be provided, particularly to those who, over the last 10 to 15 years, have been missing out—we know that. Australia’s access to broadband services in particular lags behind and, as a result of it lagging behind, our children, our businesses and our opportunities, particularly for those in rural Australia, have been limited.