Advocacy Corner update: March – May 2026

It’s been another busy period for the team with lots of regulatory news for the industry. We’re working hard to represent Members and shape policy that will affect the telecommunications sector in a way that is practical and measured.

TCP Code Rejected
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) rejected the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TCP Code) in March. Following an extensive review process that has been ongoing since 2023, the industry code will be replaced by an industry standard to be developed by the ACMA.

The TCP Code is a significant co-regulatory instrument that sets out key consumer safeguards in the telco context covering sales, billing, credit management, and more. Members can expect the ACMA to consult on regulation that will replace the TCP Code in the coming months. Until the replacement Standard comes into place, compliance with the TCP Code remains mandatory.

IAA was deeply disappointed to hear of the ACMA’s decision. Having been actively and consistently involved in the recent review process, we considered the uplifts committed to by industry, in the final version submitted to the ACMA, represented substantial improvements, while still preserving the benefits of a co-regulatory model.

The ACMA’s decision comes off the back of recent years where the co-regulatory model has faced increasing scrutiny. We maintain there has been a great deal of misunderstanding of what co-regulation is. Co-regulation does not mean voluntary. Rather, industry-developed codes such as the TCP Code ensure that regulatory obligations remain technically and operationally workable, reflecting the realities of complex networks and systems. It is therefore concerning that one of the sector’s most important co-regulatory instruments may be replaced by regulation that does not sufficiently take into account these operational realities.

Disappointed we may be, but defeated we are not. We will continue to advocate on behalf of our Members regarding the development of the replacement Standard. We are particularly focused on making sure the voices of smaller ISPs are heard so that the new Standard is measured, practical and fit for purpose.

You can read our media release in response to the ACMA’s decision on our website.

Telco Domestic Family and Sexual Violence Standard
Obligations for smaller telecommunications service providers are now live. From 1 April 2026, most of the remaining obligations under the Telecommunications (Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Consumer Protections) Industry Standard 2025 (DFSV Standard) commenced.

The DFSV Standard applies to all CSPs that supply telecommunications services to consumers including residential, business, and NFP organisation customers.

IAA has partnered with the WISPAU to deliver template compliance materials and practical training to assist Members with their compliance. You can read more in this article.

PPAP Meeting
On 11 March, we held our inaugural in-person Public Policy Advisory Panel (PPAP) meeting! Sitting down in one room, face-to-face, the PPAP had a very productive session getting deep into the regulatory landscape of telecommunications.

PPAP members shared their concerns about the impact of the DFSV Standard compliance obligations on telco staff. As telco staff are expected to handle highly distressing and sensitive matters, even with the training and staff support provisions built into the DFSV Standard, there remains concern that staff wellbeing is a key gap in the regulation, as they are being expected to respond to domestic and family violence as though they were specialists in the field.

Another core issue that keeps coming back was on ‘internet as an essential service’. Telecommunications and the internet arw increasingly being called ‘essential’ but there remain regulatory gaps as ‘essential services’ has a specific legislative meaning and is governed by State/Territory law. If the internet is truly expected to function as an ‘essential service’, it’s time for government, industry, and consumers to seriously discuss what this actually entails.