Bills Digest 91 1995-96
Telecommunications (Carrier Licence Fees) Amendment Bill 1996
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
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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
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