Telephone Regulations 1913 (Amendment)

Overview

The Statutory Rules 1920 No. 139, made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, was enacted to amend the Telephone Regulations, 1913. The regulation was introduced to address issues in the existing regulatory framework concerning the financial viability of telephone services, specifically by modifying the criteria for assessing whether a telephone line would yield the minimum required revenue within a set timeframe. The enactment of this regulation by the Governor-General in Council reflects a policy objective to streamline and update the regulatory requirements to better accommodate the evolving nature of telecommunications services. This legislative instrument is aimed at ensuring that the regulatory framework remains relevant and effective in supporting the growth and efficiency of the postal and telegraph services in Australia.

Scope and Application

The Statutory Rules 1920, No. 139, made under the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916, pertains to the amendment of the Telephone Regulations, 1913. This legislation applies to the regulation of telephone services within the Commonwealth of Australia, impacting entities involved in the provision and regulation of such services. Specifically, the amendment concerns Regulation 105, where the words "or will make it probable that the line will yield the minimum revenue then required within a period of eight years" are omitted from sub-regulation (1). This alteration likely affects the financial and operational criteria under which telephone lines are assessed, with potential implications for service providers and regulatory bodies alike. The geographic reach of these regulations is national, as they pertain to the Commonwealth's jurisdiction over postal and telegraph services. No exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds are explicitly mentioned in the text, and the regulation itself is set to come into immediate effect without further stipulations for extension or restriction through subordinate instruments.

Key Provisions

The Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916 has been amended through Statutory Rules 1920, No. 139, which modifies the Telephone Regulations of 1913. This legislative instrument focuses specifically on amending Regulation 105. In Regulation 105, the sub-regulation (1) is altered by removing the phrase "or will make it probable that the line will yield the minimum revenue then required within a period of eight years." This change means that the requirement for a telephone line to achieve a specific revenue target within an eight-year period is no longer applicable under the amended regulation. These amendments impose new obligations on parties or entities involved in the provision and management of telephone services. Specifically, the removal of the revenue yield requirement from Regulation 105 suggests a shift in the regulatory focus, potentially away from strict revenue targets towards other performance or operational standards. This might mean that service providers are now evaluated based on different metrics or criteria, though these are not explicitly stated in the provided text. For breaches of the amended regulation, there are potential civil or criminal consequences, although the specific nature of these is not detailed in the statutory rules. Given the nature of regulatory amendments, non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions by the relevant authorities, which may include fines, sanctions, or other legal repercussions. The exact penalties would depend on the broader context provided by the Post and Telegraph Act and any related legislation. While the text does not specify maximum penalties, it is reasonable to assume that the consequences for non-compliance could be significant, given the regulatory framework within which these rules operate.