Full Story Optus under fire for triple-zero failure
Sep 23, 2025
Telecommunications expert Mark Gregory from RMIT University joins the conversation to dissect the Optus outage that disrupted emergency services across multiple states. He highlights the scale of the failure, linking it to critical delays in notifying authorities and underlying infrastructure issues. Gregory emphasizes the need for tougher penalties for repeat offenders and stronger regulations to ensure reliability. He raises concerns about public trust in emergency services and advocates for immediate reforms to prevent future tragedies.
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Promised Reforms Were Ignored
- Optus agreed to Bean Review recommendations but still failed to notify emergency services promptly.
- Gregory calls the delayed 5.30pm Friday disclosure a managed attempt to limit damage that was poorly executed.
Mandate Real-Time Outage Reporting
- Gregory advises that immediate notification and real-time reporting must be mandatory after outages are detected.
- He argues these requirements should be backed by legislation and enforceable penalties.
Fines Need To Match Harm
- Gregory likens potential fines to recent large bank penalties and suggests hundreds of millions may be appropriate.
- He notes current ACMA powers are limited and stronger legal tools may be needed.