Transcript - ABC Radio Melbourne Mornings - 30 September 2025

Melissa McIntosh MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Shadow Minister for Women
Federal Member for Lindsay

30 September 2025

Transcript

ABC Radio Melbourne Mornings with Justin Smith

Topics: Triple Zero outage; Triple Zero inquiry; Optus; ACMA. 

EO&E …

Justin Smith

Melissa McIntosh is the Shadow Minister for Communications and she's with us on the phone. Ms McIntosh, thank you for your time.

Melissa McIntosh

Thanks, Justin.

Smith

First of all, what is your reaction to what's been happening the last couple of weeks?

McIntosh

It's unacceptable. I'm devastated for those families that have lost four loved ones during that outage the other week. This should be such a high priority for the government to deal with Optus and the Triple Zero network. And it's happened again. It's been mind-blowing that we are in this situation when Triple Zero is our most essential call service, our most essential telecommunications network and these outages are happening. I want an independent, thorough, independent investigation into the whole Triple Zero network ecosystem.

Smith

Why, the Government is saying that is happening now, that there's an independent investigation. Is that not enough?

McIntosh

It's not independent. ACMA is the regulator. ACMA was alerted by Optus by law, on the Thursday. This is to do with the really serious outage and the Minister said she didn't find out about the outage until Friday. So what happened between when ACMA found out and the Minister found out a whole 24 hours later? So how can ACMA be the investigator when they're involved with the investigation?

Smith

This is an important point to make, Ms McIntosh. You're saying ACMA has been tarnished already in this and therefore unable to conduct the inquiry.

McIntosh

They were part of the failed process. So I guess it's not about being tarnished, it's around. How do you investigate yourself? If we want the process to be robust, to be thorough, to be available when people need it most, then, you know, I think it needs to be an independent, expert investigation into a whole network beyond Optus.

Smith

Alright, as you understand it. So looking towards the future now, as you understand it, what went wrong with this? And I know the Opposition wants to overhaul the way Triple Zero is done, or at least investigate overhauling it. So what went wrong and what do you want to change?

McIntosh

That's why we need a thorough investigation. We want people, every Australian, when they're in their time of need, to be able to pick up the phone and call.

Smith

Oh, no, no, we all do. But what changes. But what changes could, could you propose? Because I guess most people, and me included, we don't quite understand how all this works here. We just think, I guess it's one of those things. The rain falls from the sky and the sun comes up in the morning and if you hit triple zero, you get through to the people you need. How did that connection kind of fail and who could do it better? You understand what I'm saying?

McIntosh

Yeah, I understand what you're saying. That's why we need the investigation. But there is a camp-on process. So if you call Optus and you can't get through, you were meant to be able to be picked up by another telco provider, like a Telstra or a TPG. That didn't happen in these instances. So something went wrong in that part of the process as well. So that's why we need to investigate, because they have a responsibility, the telco providers, to be able to provide this service regardless of what's going on in the outage in one telco provider. So I think it's really important not to bypass the investigation. I know you're questioning me: what should happen? Well, okay, let's get it right. When it's highly regulated sector, let's look at the regulation. It might need an overhaul. We might need to be looking into upgrading the regulations. Times have changed, technology is moving so fast, but we need to get this right for Australians. It should be the number one priority.

Smith

But it's not good enough at the moment?

McIntosh

It's not good enough at the moment. It's absolutely not good enough at the moment. And Australians are losing confidence in this service. They're losing confidence in the telcos and they're losing confidence, I believe in the government, for not acting faster.

Smith

What's your message to Optus after everything that's happened?

McIntosh

Prioritise Australians first. These are your customers. They're paying a lot of money to use your service, at least the bare minimum. Allow them to call Triple Zero when they're in their most desperate time of need.

Smith

Thank you for your time.

McIntosh

Thank you.