WARNING:
This Digest is prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments.
This Digest was available from 28 May 1996
CONTENTS
Date introduced: 22 May 1996
House: House of Representatives
Portfolio: Communications & the Arts
Commencement: On the day on which the Act receives
the Royal Assent.
The purpose of the Bill is to enable the Government to honour an
election commitment to fund, on a user pays basis, the
Commonwealth's contributions to the International
Telecommunications Union.
'The ITU is a specialized United Nations (UN) agency responsible
for harmonizing and coordinating the use of telecommunications
among nations. It is the only agency universally charged with this
task; all other international organizations are complementary to
it'1.
The Australian Government is committed to make contributions to
the ITU to ensure that Australia meets its obligations at this
international forum. This Bill enables the Commonwealth to pass the
cost of ITU participation on to telecommunications carriers.
The repeal of Paragraph 6(b) means that the contribution the
Commonwealth makes to the ITU will now be recovered from
telecommunications carriers. The Bill ensures that the carriers pay
their due amounts by 1 July of each year.
Remarks
This amendment is a straightforward fulfillment of an election
commitment which transfers the cost of Australia's international
connectivity to the carriers who, in turn, benefit from access to
international markets and expertise.
Effectively the Amendment increases the costs to carriers by
approximately $0.9 million. This amount is spread over the carriers
on a cost per timed traffic ratio with a proportional sharing of
the costs.
(1) Akwule, Raymond (1992), Global Communications: The
Technology, Administration, and Policies,
p 43.
Liz Williams Ph. 06 277 2477
27 May 1996
Bills Digest Service
Parliamentary Research Service
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.
PRS staff are available to discuss the paper's contents
with Senators and Members and their staff but not with members of
the public.
ISSN 1323-9032
© 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,
1996.
This page was prepared by the Parliamentary Library,
Commonwealth of Australia
Last updated: 27 May 1996
Back to top