Australia’s telecoms industry will be bound by new, enforceable rules to better protect victim-survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence, under a standard released by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin said the changes are intended to make services safer, more secure and reliable for people at risk. “We know domestic violence causes profound harms across our society, and that maintaining safe and secure access to telco services is crucial to people looking to escape these dangerous situations,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
The rules set minimum obligations for all telcos, including clearer information on available assistance, trauma‑informed training for frontline staff, and stronger account controls so affected customers have more agency over their services, including enhanced security settings. Support will be designed so customers can set preferred times and methods of contact, and they won’t be required to repeatedly disclose their circumstances.
“Under these rules customers will not have to repeatedly explain their circumstances and will be able to choose the time and method for communication with their telco. Importantly, these customers will also be able to access this assistance confident that they will never be asked to engage with the alleged perpetrator to resolve their telco issues.
“The ACMA has seen far too many instances where telcos have not only failed to assist customers experiencing domestic and family violence but have also taken action which exposes those customers and their children to further or greater safety risks. These new rules will help them stay safe and connected,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
The Telecommunications (Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Consumer Protections) Industry Standard 2025 will begin phasing in from 1 July 2025, when requirements such as reconnecting affected customers and prohibitions on requiring interaction with an alleged perpetrator take effect. Larger providers—those with 30,000 or more services in operation—must meet further obligations from 1 January 2026, with the rest of the sector following by 1 April 2026.
ACMA said it will actively monitor implementation and compliance, with enforcement options including enforceable undertakings, remedial directions and financial penalties for breaches.
The standard follows a direction issued in December 2024 by the then communications minister, Michelle Rowland, after advice from ACMA. Supporting telco customers experiencing domestic and family violence is one of the regulator’s compliance priorities for 2024–25.
