Commonwealth legislation

Telecommunications (Telecom Agreements) Regulations

RepealedCTH

This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Act Number

357 of 1991

Collection

legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

1/10 complexity

What it does: These regulations are a transitional measure from when Australia's telecommunications market opened to competition in 1991. They allow new phone companies (carriers) to ask the regulator (AUSTEL) to review special agreements that the former government monopoly Telecom (now Telstra) had in place before competition began.

Why it matters: Before 1991, Telecom controlled the entire phone network and had exclusive deals with equipment suppliers, property owners, and other service providers. When the government allowed competitors to enter the market, these regulations ensured newcomers could get fair access to those pre-existing agreements—or have the regulator issue binding directions to level the playing field.

Who it affects: Any new telecommunications carrier wanting to compete against the incumbent, and Telecom itself (or its legal successor). Only agreements that Telecom had signed before 1 July 1991 are covered.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Telecommunications (Telecom Agreements) Regulations.

Telecommunications (Telecom Agreements) Regulations

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Statutory Rules 1991 No. 3571

__________________

Telecommunications (Telecom Agreements) Regulations

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following Regulations under the Telecommunications Act 1991.

Dated 20 November 1991.

BILL HAYDEN

Governor-General

By His Excellency’s Command,

R. F. McMULLAN

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer

for and on behalf of the

Minister of State for Transport and Communications

____________

Citation

These Regulations may be cited as the Telecommunications (Telecom Agreements) Regulations.

[NOTE: These Regulations commence on gazettal: see Acts Interpretation Act 1901, s. 48]

Interpretation

In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears:

“Act” means the Telecommunications Act 1991.

Prescribed agreements and arrangements

For the purposes of subsection 125 (1) of the Act, an agreement or arrangement:

(a) of a kind referred to in section 124 of the Act; and

(b) to which Telecom was a party on 1 July 1991;

is prescribed as an agreement or arrangement in relation to which a carrier (other than Telecom or its successsor in law) may ask AUSTEL to give directions under Division 2 of Part 7 of the Act.

____________________________________________________________

NOTE

Notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 25 November 1991.

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

1 Telecommunications (Telecom Agreements) Regulations

Statutory Rules 1991 No. 3571

__________________

Telecommunications (Telecom Agreements) Regulations

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following Regulations under the Telecommunications Act 1991.

Dated 20 November 1991.

BILL HAYDEN

Governor-General

By His Excellency’s Command,

R. F. McMULLAN

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer

for and on behalf of the

Minister of State for Transport and Communications

____________

Citation

These Regulations may be cited as the Telecommunications (Telecom Agreements) Regulations.

[NOTE: These Regulations commence on gazettal: see Acts Interpretation Act 1901, s. 48]

Interpretation

In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears:

“Act” means the Telecommunications Act 1991.

Prescribed agreements and arrangements

For the purposes of subsection 125 (1) of the Act, an agreement or arrangement:

(a) of a kind referred to in section 124 of the Act; and

(b) to which Telecom was a party on 1 July 1991;

is prescribed as an agreement or arrangement in relation to which a carrier (other than Telecom or its successsor in law) may ask AUSTEL to give directions under Division 2 of Part 7 of the Act.

____________________________________________________________

NOTE

Notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 25 November 1991.