A major service outage at Telstra has sparked chaos across the nation, disrupting communications, transport and business payments. The Triple Zero Custodian is investigating a number of cases, although it appears back-up systems have largely proven effective. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has continued his Pacific push, hosting a number of regional leaders.
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TRANSCRIPT
Telstra has apologised after a nationwide outage disrupted services, suspended Victoria's regional train network, and sent some business payment terminals offline.
Although the company says network services have largely returned to usual, some larger infrastructure services that rely on the network have not yet resumed.
Telstra's Chief Financial Officer Michael Ackland fronted the media to explain what has happened.
“So, the issue is impacting a number of nodes within our network that keep time across the mobile network, and when these nodes are not operating as expected, which is what has occurred, other parts of the network can be affected, resulting in intermittent issues with some mobile calls and data sessions.”
He says the root cause of the outage is still being investigated, with the Australian Communications and Media Authority due to launch its own investigation.
The incident brings to mind the tragic Optus outage last year, and the Triple Zero Custodian has confirmed some callers were unable to connect.
However, there have been no reports of fatalities, and Communications Minister Anika Wells drew a distinction between the two events.
“With the Optus outage in September, I think we were all horrified when triple zero didn't work when we expected it to. This, in its nature, is a very different kind of outage. What happened in September was a triple zero outage where nobody knew triple zero was offline. This is a national outage, it's affecting lots of people, has affected lots of people across the country, but people know that, and our advice is that the camp on arrangements, through Optus through Vodafone, have been working.”
Those arrangements are there to ensure customers can call triple zero through another network if their provider goes down.
Ms Wells confirmed at least three dozen calls had dropped, although she said callers may have tried again and succeeded.
Mr Ackland says Telstra has been coordinating with state authorities to conduct welfare checks.
“We have seen a small number of reports that we are investigating, and as part of our standard process, which has been operating through the night and through this morning, we conduct welfare checks when any call to triple zero fails, and we've been doing this. We do ask customers not to test and try out triple zero, unless you need to, unless you need triple zero.”
That didn't stop Shadow Communications Minister, Sarah Henderson.
Here's what she told Sky.
“In relation to triple zero, I actually tested it myself. Now, Telstra is making very clear, please do not test triple zero. The triple zero network, I understand, is sound, is working. I had a couple of failed calls this morning, because obviously I needed to know if Triple Zero was working, and that appears to be rectified. But Telstra is investigating.”
The government has condemned Ms Henderson's actions, and while opposition leader Angus Taylor urged consumers not to follow suit, he stopped short of criticising his frontbench MP.
“I'll tell you what's irresponsible, at the moment, is that the government has not explained to Australians what's going on here, so of course they're going to investigate for themselves as to what the situation is.”
He was also asked to respond to an intervention from One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce, who floated the idea China could be involved.
“You know, there's many questions Australians are asking. We saw a provocative and unwelcome missile launch from the PLA yesterday, and I can understand why Australians are drawing that connection. Now, I don't know whether there's any connection a lot. I have no idea.”
Telstra CFO Michael Ackland says, at this stage, the company has no evidence suggesting foul play.
“At this stage, we have nothing to indicate malicious activity, and we've been in contact with all regulators and government agencies to that effect, but we continue to investigate, we continue to remain curious and explore every avenue, but we have nothing on that. “
Anika Wells offered this blunt assessment.
“As a general principle, I think when it comes to matters of national security, you shouldn't make stuff up. You've heard from Telstra acting CEO that there is currently no evidence to suggest that those things are the case. So I think it's irresponsible “
The comments come after the U-S State Department accused China of undermining nuclear non-proliferation by launching an unarmed nuclear-capable missile in the South Pacific.
Former home affairs boss Mike Pezzullo also raised a counterintelligence question, about whether China knew Australia's PM would be in Fiji at the time to sign a defence pact.
Shadow Defence Minister James Paterson says the timing was more likely to be a coincidence.
“Well, China certainly is spying on us, and they have a rapacious appetite for intelligence about our relationship with the Pacific, because one of China's strategic objectives is to establish a military base in the Pacific, ideally a naval base, and one of the most important national security priorities of Australia is to stop them, and that's why the opposition provides our unqualified bipartisan support for the government's attempts to strengthen our relationships with the Pacific. I think, though, it still is more likely that it was a coincidence that the missile launch occurred during the Prime Minister's visit, because these take weeks, if not months, to plan.”
The incident has been condemned by all sides of politics in Australia, as well as by the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Mathew Wale.
That diplomatic fallout continues, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealing the Pacific Islands Forum is considering a draft joint response.
“It's a very strong statement, and I'm hopeful, certainly, from Australia's perspective, I've made very clear comments, public comments, but we're hoping as well that the nations of the Pacific join together to send a strong message. The Rarotonga treaty is, of course, very relevant here, because what that reflects is the concern that has been there in the Pacific for a long period of time about nuclear testing and about the concept which the Pacific Island Forum have endorsed, which is an ocean of peace.”
On Wednesday, Anthony Albanese continued his Pacific push, returning from the Solomon Islands to hold talks with his counterparts from Tonga, Samoa and PNG.
They'll attend tonight's State of Origin decider in Brisbane, as Australia and PNG mark the formal commencement of the Pukpuk Treaty.
Using sport as soft diplomacy, Prime Minister Anthony announced a $250 million package.
“I am delighted to join you as we launch the Pacific Rugby League Partnership. This has been years in the making. This has required hard work and diligence, a partnership between nations, leagues, clubs, and schools, but above all, it's a partnership between peoples, a partnership built on the Pacific's deep, shared passion for rugby league.”
The Prime Minister is due to meet India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Melbourne tomorrow.
