WARNING:
This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest
does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be
consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the
Bill.
CONTENTS
Telecommunications (Numbering Charges) Bill
1996
Date Introduced: 5 December 1996
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Communications and the Arts
Commencement: The Introduction and Transitional
Parts commence on the date on which the Act receives the Royal
Assent.The Allocation Charge and Annual Charge Parts commence on 1
July 1997.
The purpose of this Bill is to impose 2 charges in respect of
telephone number:
- a once-off charge on the allocation of a number to a carriage
service provider, and
- an annual charge on telephone number held by carriage service
providers.
This Bill is a part of a package of Bills, the purpose of which
is to implement a new regulatory framework for the
telecommunications industry.
Refer to the Background contained in the Digest of the
Telecommunications Bill 1996.
This Bill has 4 parts.
Part 1 - Introduction
This Part deals with commencement and interpretation.
Part 2 - Allocation Charges
Clause 447 of the Telecommunications Bill 1996 allows
the ACA to determine an allocation system for allocating specified
numbers to carriage service providers.The system must allow for the
successful applicant and the amount to be paid for the allocation
of the number (known as the "eligible amount") to be determined by
tender, auction or another process.
Clauses 7 and 11 of this Bill
impose a charge on the allocation of the number.Clause
7 imposes a charge in circumstances where the number is
allocated in accordance with the allocation system.Clause
11 imposes a charge where the number is allocated
otherwise than in accordance with an allocation system.
The charge is payable by the carriage service provider
(Clauses 8 and 12).
Where the number is allocated in accordance with an allocation
system, the amount of the charge is the eligible amount
(Clause 9).Where the number is allocated otherwise
than in accordance with an allocation system, the amount of the
charge is to be ascertained in accordance with a determination of
the ACA (maximum of $100,000) (Clauses 13 and
14).
Part 3 - Annual Charges
This Part imposes an annual charge on numbers held by a carriage
service provider at 30 June each year (commencing from 30 June
1998)(Clause 18).The charge is payable by the
holder of the number (Clause 19).
The amount of the charge is ascertained in accordance with a
written determination of the ACA (maximum $100,000)
(Clauses 19 and 20).
Part 4 - Transitional
This Part substitutes AUSTEL for the ACA in respect of all
powers conferred on the ACA which are exerciseable before 1 July
1997 (i.e. the date on which the ACA comes into existence).
Digest Note:
This Bill should not be mistaken for the Telecommunications
(Numbering Fees) Amendment Bill 1996.That Bill amends the
Telecommunications (Numbering Fees) Act 1991 to impose an annual
charge on numbers allocated under the Telecommunications Act
1991.This Bill imposes a charge on numbers allocated under the
Telecommunications Act 1996.
Lee Jones
5 February 1997
Bills Digest Service
Information and Research Services
This Digest does not have any official legal status. Other
sources should be consulted to determine whether the Bill has been
enacted and, if so, whether the subsequent Act reflects further
amendments.
IRS staff are available to discuss the paper's contents
with Senators and Members and their staff but not with members of
the public.
ISSN 1323-9031
Commonwealth of Australia 1996
Except to the extent of the uses permitted under the
Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
information storage and retrieval systems, without the prior
written consent of the Parliamentary Library, other than by Members
of the Australian Parliament in the course of their official
duties.
Published by the Department of the Parliamentary Library,
1997.
This page was prepared by the Parliamentary Library,
Commonwealth of Australia
Last updated: 26 March 1997
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