The Australian Communications and Media Authority has welcomed new laws that increase penalties for telecommunications providers that breach consumer protection rules and expand the regulator’s enforcement powers. The Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 raises maximum civil penalties for corporate breaches of industry codes, standards and service provider determinations. It also strengthens infringement notice provisions and makes registered industry codes directly enforceable, allowing the ACMA to act without first ordering a provider to comply. The reforms establish a telco registration scheme that could ultimately prevent providers with serious compliance failures from operating in the market. Acting ACMA Chair Adam Suckling said the measures would give the regulator stronger tools to address serious and systemic non-compliance. The ACMA also said the passage of the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2026 creates a pathway for mobile voice and SMS coverage to be reasonably available outdoors across Australia. Further information on the registration scheme will be released before it begins. Post navigation NASA Sets Artemis Moon Update