{"id":"F2013L01533","name":"Telecommunications (Overall Levy Cap Amount) Instrument 2013","slug":"telecommunications-overall-levy-cap-amount-instrument-2013","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":91331,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2013L01533-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Telecommunications Universal Service Man","sectionType":"section","heading":"Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency Act 2012","content":"###### Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency Act 2012\n\nTelecommunications (Overall Levy Cap Amount) Instrument 2013\n\nI, ANTHONY NORMAN ALBANESE, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, make the following Instrument under subsection 99(4) of the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency Act 2012.\n\nDated 5 August 2013\n\nANTHONY ALBANESE\n\nMinister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\n1 Name of Instrument\n\nThis Instrument is the Telecommunications (Overall Levy Cap Amount) Instrument 2013.\n\n2 Commencement\n\nThis Instrument commences on the day after it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.\n\n3 Definitions\n\n> In this Instrument:\n\n> Act means the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency Act 2012.\n\n> relevant period means the 2012\\-2013 eligible levy period.\n\n> Note: The terms eligible levy period and overall levy cap amount have the same meaning given by section 4 of the Act.\n\n4 Overall Levy Cap Amount\n\n> For the purposes of subsection 99(4) of the Act, the overall levy cap amount for the relevant period is $254 900 000.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Sets the maximum total levy amount for the 2012-13 eligible levy period under the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency Act 2012."},"complexity_factors":["The instrument sets a single monetary amount for a defined period","No complex legal tests or ongoing obligations"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument fixes the total levy cap for the 2012–2013 eligible levy period under the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency Act 2012 at $254,900,000. It limits the collective financial contributions required from eligible public telecommunications carriers, ensuring their combined liability for funding universal service obligations that year did not exceed that amount. The instrument is spent and relevant only for historical or audit purposes."},"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-batch","completionTokens":1741},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument performs exactly the function contemplated by section 99(4) of the enabling Act — setting a specific dollar amount as the overall levy cap for a designated period. There is no scope creep or expansion beyond the original legislative intent."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (4 sections)","Single operative provision setting a fixed dollar amount","Only 3 defined terms in the interpretation section","No conditional logic, exceptions, or cross-referencing beyond the enabling Act"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this does**\n\nThis instrument sets a **$254.9 million cap** on the total amount that telecommunications companies (like Telstra, Optus, and others) can be required to pay in levies for the 2012-2013 financial year.\n\n**Background**\n\nAustralian law requires phone companies to contribute to a fund that ensures everyone — including people in rural and remote areas — has access to standard telephone services and payphones. This is called the \"universal service regime.\"\n\n**Key details**\n\n* **The cap**: The total amount that can be collected from the entire industry is limited to **$254,900,000** for the 2012-13 period\n* **Who pays**: Telecommunications carriers who meet the levy threshold\n* **Protection**: This acts as a ceiling — carriers cannot be charged more than this collective amount in total, regardless of how much the universal service actually costs to deliver\n\n**Why it matters**\n\nWithout this cap, telecommunications companies could face unlimited bills to subsidize phone services in unprofitable areas. This provides cost certainty to the industry while ensuring the universal service obligations are funded."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/telecommunications-overall-levy-cap-amount-instrument-2013","history":"/api/acts/telecommunications-overall-levy-cap-amount-instrument-2013/history","analysis":"/api/acts/telecommunications-overall-levy-cap-amount-instrument-2013/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/telecommunications-overall-levy-cap-amount-instrument-2013/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/telecommunications-overall-levy-cap-amount-instrument-2013/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/telecommunications-overall-levy-cap-amount-instrument-2013/documents"}}