Key Emails Dropped the Ball in a Critical Outage
Telecommunications giant Optus faced renewed scrutiny after it disclosed that two emails about a triple-0 outage were sent to a public service inbox that had already been phased out. The messages, sent at 2:45 pm and 2:52 pm on Thursday, September 18, sat unread for more than a day, leaving department officials unaware during the early hours of a national emergency.
The revelation emerged at a parliamentary estimates hearing, where infrastructure department officials testified that Optus had used an address that ceased being monitored a week before the outage. This misstep occurred despite Optus and other telcos having been informed two weeks earlier about an email switch, with assurances that the old inbox would be temporarily monitored.
Impact and Aftermath of the Outage
Optus initially said the outage affected 10 calls and that welfare checks would be conducted for those impacted. It later became clear that the broader incident involved significantly more failures, with 600 calls affected and three resulting deaths. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is investigating whether Optus breached the law in connection with the incident.
Complicating the timeline, one of the Thursday emails was copied to a staff member in the office of Communications Minister Anika Wells, and Optus subsequently followed up with a call to the minister’s office. The ABC sought clarification on whether Ms. Wells herself was made aware on Thursday, but the spokesperson indicated that the office was informed of ACMA’s involvement rather than the broader outage specifics at that time.
Officials’ Reflections on Responsibility
During questioning, department officials admitted they did not know about the outage on the Thursday, discovering the communication only the next afternoon after scanning their inboxes in surprise. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young pressed for accountability, asking how many failed calls would trigger ministerial concern before action was taken.
Deputy Secretary James Chisholm defended the department’s stance, asserting that the redundancy failures lay with Optus’s obligations to monitor for triple-0 connectivity during routine upgrades, and to re-route calls when outages occur. He argued that while notifications are important, ensuring triple-0 functionality is the issue ACMA and the department focus on during such events.
Regulatory and Reform Context
In response to the incident, the government is pursuing stronger governance over triple-0 systems, including a proposed custodian with enhanced information-gathering powers. However, progress has lagged on implementing several previous recommendations from a 2023 Optus triple-0 inquiry. Some lawmakers argue reform is overdue, with Liberal senator Sarah Henderson noting the pace of change should have been quicker, and Greens senator Hanson-Young urging steps toward temporary roaming during outages to ensure essential services remain reachable.
Labor senators, including Nita Green representing Ms. Wells, defended the government’s approach, stressing that the triple-0 framework remains stringent and fit for purpose. The ongoing debate sits alongside international considerations, as a bilateral meeting between Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Singapore’s Lawrence Wong underscored expectations for Singtel’s group to cooperate with investigations and remedial efforts.
Looking Ahead
The ACMA investigation will determine whether Optus complied with legal obligations and how communication protocols for emergencies can be improved. As officials await clearer guidance and potential regulatory updates, the incident has intensified calls for tangible reforms to ensure vital emergency numbers stay operational and communications channels remain reliable during crises.
