Joint Release with The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP: Cutting red tape and streamlining public services

The Budget cuts red tape in the Communications portfolio and reduces industry costs. The Government is making decisions that repair the Budget so that we can build a stronger economy.

The Government will transfer Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency (TUSMA) functions into the Department of Communications.

This TUSMA decision will increase industry certainty by having a single agency responsible for policy and implementation of telecommunications universal service matters.

It will also reduce by $1.0 million what the industry pays per year as a Telecommunications Industry Levy.

It is also expected that as regulation is removed and simplified in the coming year, the costs should also decrease for the sector regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

TUSMA is a very small agency and bringing this role into the Department will help streamline the delivery of government services. The Government will bring forward legislation to repeal the TUSMA Act and transfer responsibility for TUSMA’s contracts, finances and levy collection obligations to the Department.

As part of the deregulation agenda, the Government has also commenced an audit of portfolio regulation.

This audit will be completed by the end of this year and findings will be reported to Parliament in early 2015.

These changes are part of the Government’s Economic Action Strategy to build a strong, prosperous economy for a safe, secure Australia.