On the same day it was revealed that NBN complaints to the TIO surged by 204 per cent, the Turnbull Government has scrambled to announce a review — of the same consumer safeguards it promised to review back in 2016!

April 2014 – Turnbull’s Communications Deregulation Roadmap

“The Australian Government's regulation reform agenda will provide a platform to modernise regulatory frameworks and ensure consumer safeguards remain relevant and effective in the contemporary environment.”

February 2016 – Government Response to the Regional Telecommunications Review

“The Government will also examine the overall consumer safeguards framework to ensure that regulations are fit-for-purpose and take into account ongoing developments in communications technology.”

24 August 2016 – Government Submission into PC Review of the Universal Service Obligation

“The Government is proposing that reform of telecommunications consumer safeguards is undertaken in parallel with the Productivity Commission’s inquiry.”  

The Productivity Commission inquiry ran from June 2016 to June 2017.

The consistent lack of action, and the announcement of a review first flagged two years ago, shows the Turnbull Government only cares about one thing – the NBN spin cycle.

This comes on the back of the government sitting on the ACCC’s proposal to set up a speed monitoring program for 14 months.

Mitch Fifield said today “the existing model for complaints handling and redress is not working”. What the Minister meant to say was the Turnbull Government has not been working.

Consumers deserve a government with an authentic and proactive commitment to their needs — not one who always places them second and third.