Transcript - Press conference (Triple zero, social media, offshore online gambling) - 20 November 2025

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

20 November 2025  

Transcript  

Press conference – Sydney, NSW

Topics: Triple Zero; Samsung; TPG Telecom; social media ban; online gambling; eSafety Commissioner.    

E&EO …  

Melissa McIntosh 

I’m standing here today to provide Australians with advice that should have been provided by the Albanese Labor Government, the Minister for Communications, her Department and ACMA.

As many would know, on the 23rd of October, Telstra, Optus and TPG raised the alarm that some Samsung devices were incompatible with the Triple Zero network. This advice said that people needed to download software and that they would have 28 days from receiving a message from their telco. There are 11 device models that are not compatible at all. No software update will remedy them, and they will be unable to be used. There are 77 device models that require a software update. 

Today I have been alerted that there is more to this story. If you have one of these devices that will become obsolete or requires an update, you must act now. You can no longer call Triple Zero on these devices even though your phone may be working.

This is extraordinary. Why isn't the government letting the Australian people know that if they have this device right now, they cannot call Triple Zero? Why am I standing here letting the Australian public know this safety - very important, safety alert. It's because it has not been communicated clearly or articulately to Australians and it must be.

The Minister is nowhere to be seen on this issue. ACMA is hiding and everyone is scared about the next Triple Zero story. And we cannot hide from this, nor tell Australians that there is no issue, and I've been aware, made aware today, that iPhones may also be impacted and that they have appeared on the Vodafone website. We have already tragically lost a life, an Australian life where people love this person, sadly to a Triple Zero outage, and I don't want to stand here while other families lose loved ones unnecessarily. 

When it comes to public safety, there can be no hiding away. Telcos tell me that they've been complying with the regulations. ACMA can tick the box and say that they've followed the rules, but it isn't good enough and it isn't fast enough.

The message has gone out to Australians that they have 28 days to act, to upgrade their software or to replace their phone, but when it comes to the Triple Zero network, that is not the case.

Again, I say that if you have a device that is going to be obsolete, you must act now, and I've also been alerted that there could be thousands of people, and let me repeat that again, thousands of people on the streets of Australia, in their homes, right across the country, who could have devices where they cannot call Triple Zero. If you're a customer that falls under this category, please urgently contact your telco provider and get the information you need to ensure that you are safe.  

Any questions? 

Journalist 

Melissa, Tim McMillian here from Channel 7. In your view, has the ACCC here failed Australians by not recalling these devices when they found out about these technical issues a couple months ago? 

Melissa McIntosh      

Well, we can be going back to 2021 when I believe Samsung alerted both the telco providers and ACMA as a regulator that there would be certain devices that would not be compatible when the 3G network was shut down, and then the 3G network was shut down a whole year ago. And now I'm standing here today being alerted that anyone with a device, even though their phone might be working now on ordinary calls, if they need to call Triple Zero they will not be able to make that call. So, there are failures right across the board. The ACCC, yes, should have done more. ACMA certainly should have done more to ensure we are not here and I’m - as the Opposition spokesperson for Communications is the one that is alerting the Australian public to this potential major disaster where thousands of people could be impacted. The Minister for Communications should certainly be doing more, this is why I've said all along that ACMA as a regulator should not be the investigator when it comes to looking into what's been going on with the Triple Zero network. It is bigger than what anyone first thought in the public and is certainly more serious. 

Journalist 

Okay, so in terms of finding these owners of these devices that are impacted, who should be doing that?  

Melissa McIntosh 

The telco providers have a responsibility to do everything they can to alert their customers and it is simply not good enough that sending a text message, that isn't good enough. Older Australians are constantly being told not to reply to text messages because of potential scams and if it's a text message or if it's an email, it's forgotten. Well, the telcos need to be doing more, and the Minister for Communications should be standing here and doing what I'm doing and alerting Australians because there is trust in our government. Stand here, alert Australians that if you have one of these devices, do not wait for those 28 days. Act now, either download the software or in the very least, contact your telco provider and get some help because you will not be able to make a Triple Zero call and that is so alarming that people could still be using their phones but in the greatest time of need, they cannot call Triple Zero. 

Journalist 

In your view, who is responsible for this recent death? 

Melissa McIntosh 

I think there have been multiple failures that have led to the recent death and certainly the three deaths that took place a couple of months ago now, and it really saddens me that I'm even having to answer who's responsible? The Minister has the ultimate responsibility over her Department. We have a Custodian in the Department of Communications who has been there since March and we rushed through legislation to ensure that Custodian has the power it needs to do something. Where are they now? Where's the Custodian? Where's the Minister for Communications? Where's ACMA, the regulator? What are the telcos doing? I think there are multiple points of failure when it comes to this issue and those points of failure have let Australians down and the thought that there's thousands of people out there now with a device that will not, and I'm very serious about this, it will not work when they call Triple Zero, it's devastating and it's a disaster waiting to happen.  

Journalist 

[Inaudible] 

Melissa McIntosh 

I want to say to Australians, if you have one of the devices - Samsung model and we're hearing now, even iPhones as well, please, please follow the advice and contact your telco provider because you do need to update it. If you need Triple Zero in your greatest time of need, you won't be able to make that call. And I want to also say people that are receiving text messages aren’t being alerted to ensure that Triple Zero works. All they're being told is that their device won't work in 28 days’ time. There is no sense of urgency. There's no declaration that Triple Zero won't work. So, the message needs to change from the telcos to an urgent message to act now. 

Journalist 

I mean, ss I understand it, the ACCC power to offer a product recall. They generally reserve that in situations where a product is considered dangerous or has the potential to cause injury. Here we are talking about someone who's lost their life. I mean injury doesn't get any more serious and final than that. 

Melissa McIntosh 

You're correct. 

Journalist 

They've got a bit to add support here, haven't they? 

Speaker A 

Absolutely. I'd like the ACCC to make its position known and what actions it's going to take because it is serious. There is nothing more serious than the Triple Zero network and Australians are losing confidence. And the very fact that the Opposition spokesperson for Communications has to be making an announcement to alert Australians that their phone may not work in the case of calling Triple Zero is extraordinary. It really is. Where's the Minister today? Where's her priorities? Where's ACMA? Where's the ACCC? Where are the telcos? People are being taken for a ride right now and it is not fair. 

Journalist 

Melissa, Chloe Bouras from Channel 10. Lives are at risk here, and what role practically, could the government be taking here? You know, is there a place for replacing the phones, covering the cost of it if the expense is an issue? Should there be door knocks? 

Melissa McIntosh 

I think the Minister first and foremost should be doing what I'm doing right now and that's alerting the Australian public that this is a very serious issue. That if they have one of these devices and even though their phone may be working for ordinary calls, if they try to call Triple Zero, they will not be able to call Triple Zero if they are a TPG Vodafone customer. If they are a Telstra or Optus customer, in the event of either of those networks, or both of those networks going down, a camp-on process will push it through to TPG and that they will not be able to make that Triple Zero call. Even though the risk is less, the risk is still there. So first and foremost, the Minister needs to get up here and inform the Australian public of the seriousness of this issue, that there are potentially thousands of Australians holding phones that will not work if they need to call Triple Zero and then push the telcos to do everything they can to alert their customers immediately. Not 28 days now, today, right now. 

Journalist 

[Inaudible] … has started notifying Instagram and Facebook users, that the social media bans coming in, they're going to start deactivating earlier, and it's also telling people that if they are over 16, they can prove their age by a video selfie or by uploading a government issued ID. What are your thoughts on this? 

Melissa McIntosh 

The intent of protecting Australian children is something that we all want, we all want to protect our kids. There is nothing more important than protect our Australian citizens, which is why I'm standing here today. I have been saying for some time now, I'm concerned that this ban won't do what it's intended to do. There are too many questions. We are now only a couple of weeks out and as has been declared by Meta today, that one of the options, which I've also been saying, and this was never meant to be part of the deal, digital ID could be used. Australians could be compelled to produce their driver's licence to prove their age. Australians do not want that. That is not what was agreed to. But I've been warning about this because the age verification technology, there were too many question marks around and there were too many questions even today around which platforms are in or out and again, it's the Minister for Communications and she needs to be up front with the Australian public around whether they are going to be required to use digital ID to prove their age. 

Journalist 

Can you just clarify what your questions around and what your concerns are around government issue ID? 

Melissa McIntosh 

I think all Australians would be concerned if they were compelled to produce identification that shows their identity, where they live, their personal details and then question marks. These are international companies where that data is going to be stored. Is a person's data going to be stored offshore and what are the protections that are in place for that person's data? It's extraordinary that we are even, you know, in this position when the government promised us that they would have it sorted and that digital ID would not need to be used to show somebody's age. 

Journalist 

[Inaudible] … on the Meta situation, it seems like jumping the gun here though right ahead of December 10. Were you surprised with that one? 

Melissa McIntosh      

Well, again, we have a surprise in this whole unravelling of this issue. It's step by step, day by day, there's a new bit of information and that's what confuses Australians. Where was the discussion with the government around when platforms would be making these announcements, and, you know, can kids still access up until the 10th or be closed down? It's inconsistent. That's one of the points. It's inconsistent with what the government has been telling Australians around what would happen, and my big concern around this is around digital ID and how do you enforce, you know, these platforms not requiring that. So, if you don't want to produce your driver's licence, but the facial technology isn't working, where do you stand? So, he's compelling Australians to have to use digital ID. 

Journalist 

Yeah. In terms of the teenagers and their parents, who are, you know, probably something, I'm quite stressed out about this December 10th date approaching, but preparing accordingly. Sort of acting ahead of that December 10 deadline, you know, may well cause an extra level of stress for that group of people. Would you agree with that? 

Melissa McIntosh 

Yeah, extra level of stress. A lot of young people are quite attached to their social media and part of the plan, the government said, was that they would educate Australians that this was coming, get them prepared, get them ready but this is a big surprise and its ahead of the date that was promised. So how much has the government gotten Australians ready? I don't think very at all. Families who have lost loved ones to social media harm told me they were concerned the government wasn't ready and wasn't alerting Australians enough to this, but yet again, go back through the Minister for Communications’ own social media, where she declared that it was a myth that Australians would need digital ID and now it's coming to light that they could be compelled. So, she's misleading the Australian public on this issue and on the Triple Zero issue, she's hiding from the Australian public. 

Journalist 

Thank you very much. Just for my own background if people want to go and see if their device is on a list, it seems like it's an ever changing list, but a list of the devices that might be unable to connect to Triple Zero. Where are they best going to access that list? 

Melissa McIntosh 

I've seen a list today on the Vodafone website which also includes iPhone devices, which is a new bit of information again. So, I would say look on your telco providers website, phone your telco providers. You can also call my office. My office has been receiving correspondence from Australians from right across the country who are so scared right now that their phones aren't going to work, or they're concerned that they just don't have the money. You've got to remember we're in a cost of living crisis. Many Australians who have these handheld devices, they just can't afford to buy new ones and you've got older Australians who really are struggling with the - even downloads of the software because it's not an easy thing to do and they're concerned about the possibilities of receiving scam text messages because they're told every day not to respond to text messages. So, I think if you're in doubt, you can contact my office. We're very happy to help as much as we can, but it's up to the telco providers and the Minister for Communications to be making a public announcement around the seriousness that people right now, right now today, have got those device, it's highly likely you're not going to be able to call Triple Zero. 

Journalist 

Would you have an example of a text message that has been sent out to some potential customers that you've talked about before, about having 28 days. 

Melissa McIntosh 

Yes, yes, yes. We can get you - we can get you an example of one of those text messages. 

Journalist 

Yeah, that'll be great. I haven't seen it personally, but it'll be helpful for the story today if, and so if that's okay. 

Melissa McIntosh 

Yes, absolutely. 

Journalist 

Yeah, Melissa, Josh Butler from The Guardian. Can I ask you on a different matter, please? Part of your portfolio also goes to the gambling reform legislation. There's been a debate about that today. What would you and the Coalition like to see from the government? What, as it pertains to the Peta Murphy report, that the government still is holding onto its response to what should be done in that area and what sort of timeline would you like to see that issue resolved? 

Melissa McIntosh 

Yeah, we've been waiting for a long time for the government to have a position on gambling harm and it's also come to light that Betstop, which is the national self-exclusion register, does not stop these offshore gambling companies from targeting vulnerable Australians. So, you know, there's big questions around what the government is going to do to ensure that people that potentially, you know, have access to gambling when they shouldn't with these offshore providers, what are they going to do to help there? And I'm here hearing that industry is starting to move itself on some of these issues because the government is just going so slow and not giving any certainty about where they're going to land on this and again, an important issue in the communications space and no action from the communications Minister nor the Prime Minister. 

Journalist 

Would you like to see a national ban on television advertisements, action on social media advertisements as well? What would you like to see happen in this area as it pertains to gambling ads? 

Melissa McIntosh 

I'd first and foremost like to see the government come up with it’s policy that we can respond to. We had a policy going into the last election which had an hour prior to a live sporting event during and after and I'm reassessing that policy and speaking to stakeholders, speaking to people that have been impacted by gambling harm and we're working on our policy which will be announced prior to the election. But I think it is absolutely essential for not only the sector, the industry to have some certainty but for the Australians who have been impacted by gambling harm and first and foremost, if the government could respond to what it's going to do around offshore gambling and protecting Australians who are on the Betstop self-exclusion register who are not captured by that when it comes to offshore gambling. 

Journalist 

This is Nick Newling from The Sydney Morning Herald. You mentioned that there were a number of different device types that do have a specific number of individual devices that will be affected? I know you talked about thousands of people but do you have any more information on specifically how many devices in the system will lose access to Triple Zero? 

Melissa McIntosh 

I've been asking a lot of questions around how many devices are still out there where some people have already downloaded the software, other people have upgraded their devices because the 3G bungled shutdown has been over a year now and the best advice I'm getting is that there could still be 5,000 odd people but we don't know that number for sure out there with these devices and that could be 10 people and that's too many when you're talking about potentially thousands of people and there is a list of every single device but getting information around how many people have itemised devices is very, very difficult and this is again why I've called for a public investigation into the whole Triple Zero ecosystem, which would include devices, it would include the telcos, the networks, the contracts that these telcos are getting and the infrastructure itself. Because this is, although this is a huge issue where people, potentially thousands of people, couldn't call Triple Zero right now and they're not aware of that. We also had issues with the network, with Optus recently and with the infrastructure where dozens of people only a couple weeks ago couldn't call Triple Zero. So, the Minister needs to step up. It can't be ACMA doing any investigation because that's who she's appointed again to look into this and they're part of the issue. Where's ACMA been on this whole issue since the 3G shutdown? They've been silent. So, now's the time to step up and front the Australian people and let every single Australia know that could be impacted, that they need to act now. 

Journalist 

Also, on a separate matter, the eSafety Commissioner has been called to testify before a Congressional Committee in the US. Do you think that that's something that is appropriate for her to do as an Australian official and what role should the government be playing in here? 

Melissa McIntosh 

I won't comment on what she should be doing in the US, but from an Australian context, I've actually said that we need an inquiry into the eSafety Commissioner's powers. She has extraordinary powers as an unelected official. She was appointed 10 years or so ago when the world was a very different place, and I had a meeting with her when she eventually granted me one, and I asked her even the question around whether her powers extended to being able to compel people to use digital ID and although she said she didn't intend to do that, but she did say that she does have those powers. So, I think Australians would be very shocked to know the types of powers she has and now is a good time to have an inquiry into them and to perhaps make sure her role is fit for purpose right now. 

Journalist 

[Inaudible] 

Melissa McIntosh 

Sorry, can you repeat that again?  

Journalist 

If the government moves to curb their online gambling ads, do you think that they're doing enough to curb problem gambling?  

Melissa McIntosh 

I want to see what the government's going to do in response to their own report and assess that in the context of everything, because it's not just one aspect of gambling, as I've just said, we're hearing now around people getting caught up in offshore gambling and Betstop’s not capturing these people. So, I think it needs to be viewed in the whole context. We had our position last election and I'm working through that very thoroughly. I think it's such an important issue but first and foremost, the government's been sitting on this report for way too long and not taking any action.  

Journalist 

Thank you.

Melissa McIntosh 

Thank you.