Canberra agrees ACMA needs reform

The federal government has released its response to the review of the ACMA, supporting (or supporting in principle) all 27 recommendations made.

The review was undertaken by the Department of Communications and the Arts with the help of a group of distinguished Australian and international communications and regulatory experts.

According to a statement from the Minister for Communications, Senator Mitch Fifield, the review found the ACMA has generally performed its regulatory role efficiently and well over the last 10 years.

“However, the review also found that reform is needed to ensure the ACMA can respond effectively to the challenges of the future communications environment. Key recommendations of the review seek to enhance the ACMA’s stakeholder engagement, decision-making, governance and accountability,” the statement said.

“Key reforms will redesign the governance arrangements for the regulator and provide for greater transparency, accountability and responsiveness of the regulator’s day-to-day and strategic activities. Implementation of these changes is already underway,” Senator Fifield said.

A new governance model will see a minimum of five full-time members, including the chair and deputy chair, who must meet “clear skill-set and expertise requirements”.

“This will ensure that the ACMA is equipped for the complex task of regulating a dynamic and increasingly integrated communications sector,” said Senator Fifield.

“The government will also strengthen the deputy chair position to take on the function of the ACMA’s chief executive officer (CEO) with primary carriage of day-to-day management and operational issues. This will allow the chair more time to focus on strategy, stakeholder management and decision-making,” he added.

A Ministerial Statement of Expectations will address issues such as transparency, accountability and the nature of the relationship between the ACMA, the government and industry operators.

Regulator principles will also be incorporated in the statement to provide guidance to the ACMA on how it should approach its regulatory role.

“Providing the ACMA with a clearer description of performance expectations of its regulatory role will support better outcomes for industry and consumers,” Senator Fifield said.

Image courtesy ACMA.

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