Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications today released its report on the Communications Legislation Amendment (Prominence and Anti-siphoning) Bill. The recommendations are:
- The committee recommends that the Minister for Communications and the Australian Communications and Media Authority consider options for a phased approach to the proposed prominence framework and or a reduction to a 12-month timeframe.
- The committee recommends that the Minister for Communications request that the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts prioritise the implementation of radio prominence on devices such as smart speakers.
- The committee recommends that the Minister for Communications amend the bill to extend free-to-air codes of practice to online services.
- The committee recommends that the Minister for Communications, on advice from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts amend the bill to allow the review of the prominence framework to be conducted within two years of implementation, as necessitated by rapid technological change.
- The committee recommends that the Minister for Communications consider, either before or as part of the prominence framework review, other related reforms in the industry, to reflect the growing role of the internet, online service provision, and consumer behaviour.
- The committee recommends, subject to the recommendations contained earlier in this chapter, that the prominence provisions of the bill be passed.
- The committee recommends that the anti-siphoning provisions of the bill be passed.
Full report
Seven’s response to the Senate committee report