Victorian premier demands answers after copper thieves trigger Optus crisis

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has sought an urgent briefing after an Optus outage left more than 14,000 customers in the state’s south-east unable to make calls or use mobile data, with access to emergency services also impacted.

Allan described the reports as “deeply concerning” and said the cause of the outage was still being investigated.

The Optus outage affected emergency services calls in south-east Victoria.Credit: Getty

“I can understand why there is a great concern in the community, particularly given some of the more recent incidents that have involved Optus, which is why I’ll be seeking urgent advice,” she said.

Optus confirmed services were fully restored by 11.20am on Wednesday after thieves cut through a fibre cable at a Telstra pit on the Mornington Peninsula while attempting to steal copper.

“This is an act of vandalism. These are criminals that are cutting the fibre that provides vital connectivity to customers,” Optus spokeswoman Jane McNamara told ABC Radio Melbourne.

Optus chief executive Stephen Rue told a Senate hearing earlier this month he was accountable for the company’s failings but did not think Optus or its customers needed a change of leader.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“They don’t actually know where [the copper] is located, and will cut the infrastructure in that pit.”

The outage affected six mobile sites across the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston, with some customers in Berwick also reporting issues. Optus said it was not aware of any failed emergency calls during the outage, with calls automatically routed to other carriers’ networks.

The incident comes as Optus faces an ongoing Senate inquiry into a September Triple Zero outage linked to the deaths of two people who could not contact emergency services.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who chairs that inquiry, called for an urgent review of Optus’ licence.

“Optus has failed the Australian people again. They are clearly not capable of providing this essential service and keeping Australians safe,” she said.

“Big telcos continue to put profit over their obligation to safely deliver the Triple Zero service, and Australians are sick of it.”

Hanson-Young said ACMA, the communications regulator, could not be trusted to investigate the latest incident. “They are asleep at the wheel and have clearly demonstrated they are not up to the job of regulating the big telcos.”

Shadow communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh said the outage was “sending chills up Australians’ spines” and renewed her call for a full independent inquiry into the Triple Zero system.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“It is absolutely unacceptable Triple Zero calls are again being impacted by yet another Optus outage,” McIntosh said. “Regardless of the fault, Optus has an obligation to provide Triple Zero services to Australians anywhere and at any time.”

McIntosh criticised the government for putting ACMA in charge of investigating the fatal September outage and for failing to implement all recommendations from the Bean Review into Optus’ 2023 nationwide outage.

A federal government spokesperson said early indications suggested vandalism was to blame and that officials were “closely monitoring the situation”.

Copper theft from telecommunications infrastructure has become a growing problem across Australia. Victoria Police last year busted an organised crime syndicate responsible for more than 50 large-scale copper thefts worth more than $780,000 in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

A photo supplied by Optus showing the damage.

In South Australia, reported scrap metal thefts have increased by more than 39 per cent over the past four years, prompting the state government to introduce new legislation cracking down on scrap metal dealers.

Premier Jacinta Allan on Wednesday.Credit: The Age

McNamara said the security of critical infrastructure required an industry-wide response.

“It’s a significant safety issue, and it’s something that we need to tackle as an industry, as a sector,” she said. “There has to be the right penalties and the right legislation in place.”

Hanson-Young called on Communications Minister Anika Wells to mandate that customers be transferred to other carriers for emergency calls when their network fails – a key outstanding recommendation from the Bean Review.

“Privatisation of this essential service has failed,” she said. “Families are still grieving the loss of their loved ones because of Optus’ negligence.”

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