{"id":"F2024L01061","name":"Telecommunications (Complaints Handling Industry Standard Amendment) Direction 2024","slug":"telecommunications-complaints-handling-industry-standard-amendment-direction-2024","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":442547,"registerId":"F2024L01061-fast-fetch-1775957525105","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Telecommunications (Complaints Handling Industry Standard Amendment) Direction 2024","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nTelecommunications (Complaints Handling Industry Standard Amendment) Direction 2024\n\nI, Michelle Rowland, Minister for Communications, make the following direction.\n\nDated 21 August 2024\n\nMichelle Rowland\n\nMinister for Communications\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Direction to the ACMA\n\n6 Objectives and content of the amendments to the 2018 Standard\n\n \n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Telecommunications (Complaints Handling Industry Standard Amendment) Direction 2024.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n  This instrument commences the day after this instrument is registered.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under subsection 125AA(4) of the Telecommunications Act 1997.\n\n4  Definitions\n\nNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in section 7 of the Act, including the following:\n\n1.      ACMA;\n2.      carriage service provider;\n3.      carrier;\n4.      Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman;\n5.      network unit;\n6.       telecommunications network  \n\n\n \n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Telecommunications Act 1997.\n\n2018 Standard means the Telecommunications (Consumer Complaints Handling) Industry Standard 2018.\n\nconsumer has the same meaning as in the 2018 Standard.\n\nprovider means:\n\n1.     carriage service providers; and\n2.     carriers responsible for network units that are used in the supply of services by carriage service providers.\n\n\n5  Direction to the ACMA  \n\n1.     I direct the ACMA under subsection 125AA(1) of the Act to amend the 2018 Standard, to give effect to the objectives provided in section 6 of this Direction.  \n2.     The amendments to the 2018 Standard are to:\n\n\n1.     be determined by 30 April 2025; and\n2.     commence in full at the earliest practical opportunity and no later than 30 June 2025.\n\n\n1.     I direct that the ACMA may vary the 2018 Standard as it considers necessary from time to time, provided that the standard as varied complies with this instrument.\n2.     The 2018 Standard may be amended to:\n\n\n1.     deal with matters differently for different classes of providers;\n2.     exempt certain classes of providers from particular provisions of the standard; or\n3.     deal with matters differently for different classes of consumers.\n\n\n6 Objectives and content of the amendments to the 2018 Standard\n\n  Objectives of the amendments to the 2018 Standard\n\n1.     The 2018 Standard is to be amended to give effect to the following objectives, as they relate to the telecommunications activities of providers:\n\n\n1.     that the definition of ‘complaint’ appropriately includes consumers who contact a provider in relation to a network outage;\n2.     that providers appropriately prioritise complaints from consumers affected by network outages; and\n3.     that providers should have in place, and implement, complaints handling policies and processes that:\n\n\n1.             are fit-for-purpose;\n2.             provide for consumer focused, efficient, effective and professional handling and resolution of consumer complaints;\n3.             provide for transparency;\n4.             provide for appropriate processes for the internal escalation of complaints; and\n5.             ensure that consumers are provided with clear and sufficient information at appropriate times in relation to avenues for external dispute resolution.\n\n\n    Content of the amendments to the 2018 Standard\n\n1.     The amended 2018 Standard may include rules on the following matters as they relate to the telecommunications activities of providers:\n\n\n1.     requirements for:\n\n\n1.             user-friendly policies and processes for the making of complaints;\n2.             the availability and display of policies and processes;\n3.             policies and processes to be accessible for all consumers; and\n4.             the proactive provision of information to consumers about complaints handling policies and processes and options for external dispute resolution; \n\n\n1.     requirements for the resolution of complaints, that are commensurate with keeping consumers connected to an essential service;\n2.     requirements to implement policies and processes that:\n\n\n1.             prioritise resolving complaints quickly;\n2.             minimise waiting time, call transfers and consumers dealing with multiple persons to resolve the complaint; and\n3.             keep the consumer updated and informed about the progress of their complaint and resolution; and\n\n\n1.     other matters that the ACMA considers give effect to the objectives set out at section 6(1).\n\n\n1.     In amending the 2018 standard, the ACMA may define any terms that it considers appropriate or necessary, including terms used in this direction but not defined in section 4.\n2.     The standard may confer any functions and powers on the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman to meet the objectives set out at section 6(1). \n\n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The direction remains tightly focused on its original purpose: improving consumer complaints handling in telecommunications, specifically in response to network outage concerns. It does not expand into unrelated areas."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument: only 6 sections plus definitions","Minimal defined terms: only 4 specific definitions in section 4, plus references to existing Act definitions","No nested exceptions or conditional logic: straightforward directive structure with clear objectives","Single cross-reference mechanism: relies on existing 2018 Standard rather than recreating rules","Delegatory structure: most detailed rule-making left to ACMA discretion rather than prescribed in the instrument itself"],"plain_english_summary":"The Minister directs the ACMA to strengthen the Telecommunications (Consumer Complaints Handling) Industry Standard so phone and internet providers must treat outage contacts as formal, fast‑tracked complaints, improve accessible, timely complaint processes, and clearly inform customers about external dispute options (notably the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman). \n\nThis affects carriage service providers, carriers and consumers—aiming to give faster, more transparent relief after major outages. The ACMA must finalize changes by 30 April 2025 (effective 30 June 2025)."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This Direction expands the 2018 Standard by expressly requiring that consumer contacts about network outages be captured as complaints and prioritised, by imposing requirements on provider complaints processes (accessibility, proactive information, timely resolution), by permitting class‑based differentiation and exemptions, and by allowing ACMA to confer functions on the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (ss6(1)–(2); s5(3)–(4))."},"complexity_factors":["Delegated rule‑making to ACMA with broad discretion to determine amendments (s5(1), s5(3)).","Explicit power to vary the Standard over time and to set different rules or exemptions by class of provider or consumer (s5(3)–(4)).","Multiple substantive objectives requiring operational changes: treating outage contacts as complaints, prioritisation, transparency, escalation and external dispute‑resolution information (s6(1)).","Wide possible content scope including accessibility, proactive information, resolution time expectations and minimising call transfers (s6(2)).","Authority to define undefined terms and to confer functions/powers on the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, creating potential institutional interaction and administrative complexity (s6(2)–(3)).","Hard deadlines for ACMA to determine and for commencement (determine by 30 April 2025; commence no later than 30 June 2025) creating implementation timing pressure (s5(2)).","Compliance and operational burdens fall on providers, who must revise policies, train staff, and possibly change resourcing to meet prioritisation and communication requirements (s6(1)–(2))."],"plain_english_summary":"This Direction requires the ACMA to amend the Telecommunications (Consumer Complaints Handling) Industry Standard 2018 so that consumers who contact a provider about network outages are treated as making a complaint, and such complaints are prioritised. It also directs providers to have fit‑for‑purpose, transparent and accessible complaints processes and to keep consumers informed (ss5–6).\n\nThe ACMA may treat different classes of providers or consumers differently, exempt classes, and confer functions on the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman; providers will need to change processes and bear compliance costs (ss5(3)–(4), 6(2)–(3))."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/telecommunications-complaints-handling-industry-standard-amendment-direction-2024","history":"/api/acts/telecommunications-complaints-handling-industry-standard-amendment-direction-2024/history","analysis":"/api/acts/telecommunications-complaints-handling-industry-standard-amendment-direction-2024/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/telecommunications-complaints-handling-industry-standard-amendment-direction-2024/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/telecommunications-complaints-handling-industry-standard-amendment-direction-2024/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/telecommunications-complaints-handling-industry-standard-amendment-direction-2024/documents"}}