Latest news with #Optus
7NEWS
3 days ago
- 7NEWS
Stacy Jane survives domestic violence to help other women fleeing abuse with Escabags idea
Stacy Jane spent three-and-a-half years trapped in a violent relationship — monitored, controlled, and living in fear. Her texts were constantly watched, bank transactions tracked, her car bugged, even household objects turned into recording devices. Despite knowing it was wrong, she felt she couldn't leave. 'He made my world very, very small, there was no way I could just leave,' Jane told 'The worse he treated me, the more I needed him to make me feel better.' It wasn't until she was on a cruise around New Zealand that things began to change after an Australian family on the same ship sensed something was wrong. After she was violently attacked again, they invited her to stay with them for the rest of the trip. When the cruise ended, Jane returned to the UK and tried to escape the relationship for good. But he tracked her down again. Out of options and terrified, Jane called that same family, and they simply replied: 'Come home, bub.' That's how Jane's journey led her to Australia, where everything began to change. Now, the 36-year-old is the founder and CEO of Escabags, a charity that provides women experiencing domestic violence with 'Escape Bags' to help them flee better prepared — something Jane wishes she had when she escaped, as it could have made her journey safer. 'I had to go back in to try and get some of my things, and it was at that point I nearly lost my life,' she recalled. 'If I'd had an escape bag, I wouldn't have had to be inside his home at that point. 'Had he had his hands around my neck a little bit longer, I wouldn't have survived.' Drawing from her own experience, the Escape Bags contain essential items such as toiletries, period products, a mini first aid kit, shampoo, a face cloth, and a personal safety alarm. For those fleeing with children, the bags also include nappies and comfort items like a teddy bear. Each bag also contains a new SIM card, provided in partnership with Optus, to allow safe and untraceable communication. The bags are designed to be grabbed quickly when victims leave, so they don't have to return to collect essentials. The free Escape Bags are available from participating Optus retail stores across Australia. Anyone, whether or not they are an Optus customer, can walk in and ask for an Escape Bag with no questions asked. Since launching in 2020, Escabags has distributed more than 18,000 bags across Australia, supported by over 2000 stockists. According to a 2024 report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, one in four Australian women has experienced domestic violence from a partner. Jane said demand for Escape Bags has surged since the end of Covid, with more than 400 bags now delivered across the country each week. With the first State of Origin kicking off, and a 2018 NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research revealing domestic violence rates jumped 40 per cent when the game is on, her business is more important than ever. Despite being diagnosed with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD), Jane said her story was a powerful reminder of the impact kindness from strangers can have. 'Now, the only thing I've ever wanted to do in Australia is keep other people safe — just like this country kept me safe when I was in that dangerous situation,' she said.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Telstra and Optus are inconsistently blocking phones. The regulator doesn't know how many
The communications regulator has not collected basic data on how telcos have implemented a new phone-blocking rule following the 3G network shutdown, despite flagging a potential "conflict of interest" inherent to it. Days ahead of the shutdown late last year, the government finalised a new "direction" that required telecom companies to refuse service to phones that relied on 3G for making emergency calls. This gave telcos — which profit from selling phones — the singular authority to block phones they deemed non-compliant from their networks. In its analysis of the impacts of the new rule, the regulator ACMA noted a potential "conflict of interest" in this arrangement. "[Telcos] stand to benefit from selling replacement devices," it noted. The regulator promised to monitor the situation by requesting data from telcos around which phones were being blocked. However, when asked by the ABC — six months after the 3G network was shut off — an ACMA spokesperson said it had not yet requested this data. The regulator said it "will shortly write to relevant telcos to collect the data outlined in our impact analysis". In the meantime, customers have been dealing with seemingly arbitrary decisions around which phones continue to work — and which don't. Inconsistencies across network providers The ABC has scraped data on 221,927 types of devices from official checking tools provided by Optus and Telstra. (TPG does not offer a similar tool). The data revealed that the telcos are inconsistently blocking 16,822 registered device types — based on their TAC codes, which are eight-digit numbers that identify their make and model. While the two telcos agreed on 7,621 codes being unsafe for use, this number was dwarfed by the 15,844 blocked by Optus but not Telstra. Device variants blocked on Optus and Telstra networks The blocking status of over 200,000 device types. These inconsistencies are causing chaos for customers, with perfectly functional phones having been denied access to the network since November. IT professional James Parker — who originally noticed the discrepancies — has independently compiled a similar dataset, incorporating user reports to fill in the gaps left by TPG not having an official checking tool. He says that Telstra has a more accurate set of blocked phones than Optus, though both are "extremely flawed". His analysis has found "brand new 5G phones" that are blocked on some carriers, but not others. A Telstra spokesperson said the company ran "rigorous checks of devices' capabilities, including cross-referencing manufacturer specs, industry data and our own testing." "In some rare cases, devices behave differently depending on the mobile operator's network it's connected to," they said. "This means a device may be blocked as incompatible by one operator, but might work on another network." Optus said it "undertook a detailed assessment of device capabilities" but did not address the discrepancy between its block-list and Telstra's. According to ACCAN research, approximately 19 per cent of people reported needing to upgrade their device because of the 3G shutdown. Regulator leaving it to the telcos Former telecommunications consultant Ian Smith's phone was one of those affected. As an Uber driver in the NSW Northern Rivers, he uses a dual SIM to deal with the patchy reception across the various mobile networks. When the 3G network was shut down in November, his Telstra SIM was suddenly restricted from accessing the network, even though it supports 4G. Meanwhile, his Optus one remained unaffected. Ian Smith has been unable to get his 4G-enabled phone unblocked by Telstra. ( Supplied: Ian Smith ) To clear up the inconsistency between networks, Mr Smith visited four separate Telstra stores, which he says confirmed his smartphone was still able to make emergency calls. Despite this, Telstra would not unblock it. When he appealed to ACMA, Mr Smith was told it was "unable to compel Telstra to whitelist [his] phone". "This is a matter for the telcos to determine," an ACMA employee wrote to Mr Smith in an email. "They have the best knowledge of their own networks." With the lack of Telstra connectivity interfering with his work as an Uber driver, Mr Smith was eventually forced to buy a new device. He says that Telstra has "abused" the power granted to it under the new direction, and displayed "anti-competitive behaviour" by blocking his phone despite it being capable of making emergency calls. Potential conflict of interest The CEO of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN), Carol Bennett, said ACMA needs to be watching the directive "closely and in real time". "There must be regulatory scrutiny about this directive," she told the ABC. "It allows telcos to identify which devices to block while standing to benefit from selling new phones — a clear conflict of interest risk." ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett has called ACMA a "toothless tiger" in the past. ( ABC News: John Gunn ) An ACMA spokesperson said "some risks could not be addressed within the terms of the direction" from the minister. "Those terms reflected the government's concerns that there was an unacceptable risk that people's lives could be put in danger if they could not access triple-0 after the shutting down of Australia's 3G networks," the spokesperson said in a statement. "The ACMA has been in constant contact with telcos to monitor compliance with these new obligations and respond to and resolve customer issues as they arise. "Together with the comprehensive data that we receive from telcos on the impact of the amendments, we will be in a position to provide advice to the Minister for Communications on our view of the effectiveness of the amendments." The government — which created the phone blocking directive — did not comment on its enforcement by the regulator, or its failure to collect the data from telcos it had outlined in its impact analysis. "The Australian government's top priority in the 3G switch off has been to protect public safety by ensuring that all mobile phones connected to mobile networks are able to call triple-0," a governmental spokesperson said. Data scraping methodology The ABC downloaded each of the data files from the Optus checking tool. The ABC downloaded each of the data files from the Optus checking tool. For each of the TAC codes in those files, we made a request to Telstra's checking tool. For each of the TAC codes in those files, we made a request to Telstra's checking tool. We then compared the blocked vs non-blocked status for each one. Credits Reporting: Julian Fell Reporting: Julian Fell Visual design: Georgina Piper The full statements from the ACMA, Telstra, Optus and the government can be accessed here.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Morning Mail: ‘culture of total disrespect' in schools; Ukraine hit with massive air raids; Piastri third in Monaco
Good morning. Our main story today looks at a growing 'culture of total disrespect' in schools, with teachers reporting a shocking rise in bullying behaviour and even violence towards them. Some are deciding to quit the profession. Meanwhile, Ukraine has hit out at US 'silence' after Russia carried out its largest air raid of the war – and we learn more about the tragedy faced by two doctors in Gaza after nine of their 10 children were killed in an Israeli airstrike. And, we look at the devastating impacts of the NSW floods on rural communities where farmers have been left counting the costs as they bury their dead animals. After the floods | Kevin Schlenert (above) survived the NSW floods – but his dairy farm might not. Like many others in his region, the third-generation farmer is at 'breaking point' as he buries his dead cattle. 'Culture of disrespect' | A review into bullying at Australian schools has been welcomed, but teachers say their needs must be considered to arrest a dramatic decline in staff retention rates as they face violence and threats. 'Life-changing impacts' | Under new reforms, GPs in NSW will be among the first in Australia to diagnose and provide medication for children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Analysis | A ferocious campaign is trying to discredit Labor's plan to trim tax breaks for people with more than $3m in retirement. No wonder reform is so hard in this country, Patrick Commins writes. AI looms | Optus's new chief executive, Stephen Rue, says AI will play a significant role in the future of telecommunications, but humans will remain central to the company. Russia-Ukraine war | Ukraine has condemned the United States' 'silence' after Russia's largest air raid of the war, with a second straight night of massive drone and ballistic missile strikes; Ukraine and Russia have completed a '1,000-for-1,000' prisoner exchange. Gaza crisis | Israeli airstrikes over the past 24 hours have killed at least 38 people in Gaza, Palestinian health officials say; we also share a Gaza doctor's last goodbye before nine of her children were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Trade wars | Germany's finance minister has joined a chorus of European politicians in calling for talks with the US after Donald Trump threatened to impose 50% tariffs on imports from Europe. Polish elections | Tens of thousands of people in Warsaw have taken part in duelling political marches, led by the two men vying for the Polish presidency in a 1 June runoff election. US politics | Tech boss Elon Musk drifts to the edge of Trump's world; Trump administration tells border shelters that helping migrants might be illegal; the latest casualties in Trump's war on the arts: small museums keeping local histories alive. 'Hollowing out': why so many people are leaving New Zealand New Zealand is known as a dream destination – with its verdant, rolling hills and picture-perfect scenery. But some locals are feeling that's not enough to keep them anchored to its islands. Journalist Michelle Duff speaks with Reged Ahmad about why New Zealand is facing a mass exodus as people of working age flee the weak economy. Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen $ Thrifting was made for times like these; a prolonged period of high living costs and consumer pushback against the excesses of fast fashion has led to soaring interest in buying secondhand clothes and pre-owned homewares. But big business is tapping into the trend, drawing mixed reactions from thrifters accustomed to spending their money at charitable op shops. Why is the US chain Savers dividing Australian shoppers? In the latest of our Kindness of strangers series, we hear from a teller who accidentally overpaid a customer on Christmas Eve and then felt the dread of thinking her wages would be docked when her boss found out. Crisis was averted by a knock on the window – the customer had rushed back across town in the holiday traffic to return the money. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Football | Premier League winners Liverpool will share points with Crystal Palace before getting the party started; Newcastle have scraped into a Champions League spot; Chelsea have secured a top-five spot to end Nottingham Forest's Champions League dream; Aston Villa rage at the referee as their Champions League hopes evaporate. AFL | Melbourne's muscular missile Kozzie Pickett ensured the Demons' revival continues, Jonathan Horn writes. Motorsport | Lando Norris won the Monaco F1 grand prix, to close the gap on championship leader Oscar Piastri who placed third. Cycling | Carlos Verona raced to a solo victory on stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia, as title favourite Primož Roglič lost more time on the pink jersey. Queensland's new $88m shark control scheme aims to protect beachgoers with 'innovative technologies' – but, as the ABC News reports, some are questioning whether it is even legal. A surge in informal election votes in hospitals and aged care facilities has drawn official scrutiny – and casts doubts over some close results, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Modelling suggests US tariffs could deliver a $1.25bn hit to Victoria's budget in just one year, the Age reports. Victoria | The trial of murder accused Erin Patterson continues in Morwell. NSW | The Bondi Junction stabbing attack inquest continues. Queensland | The Australian Energy Producers Conference is being held this week in Brisbane. If you would like to receive this Morning Mail update to your email inbox every weekday, sign up here, or finish your day with our Afternoon Update newsletter. You can follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland. And finally, here are the Guardian's crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
AI to transform telecoms but technology won't completely replace humans, new Optus CEO says
Optus's new chief executive, Stephen Rue, says artificial intelligence will play a significant role in the future of telecommunications, but humans will remain central to the company. Rue joined the Australian mobile network operator, a subsidiary of Singaporean telecommunications company Singtel, in November last year after six years at the helm of the federal government's National Broadband Network (NBN). His appointment came after two tough years for the telco, with a massive data breach affecting millions of customers, and a 14-hour national mobile network outage that led to new rules around emergency calling. The previous chief executive, Kelly Bayer-Rosmarin, quit the company two weeks after the outage. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Customers have slowly returned to Optus, with the company adding 238,000 new mobile subscribers, including 52,000 on postpaid plans, in its financial year ending 31 March 2025, results released on Thursday showed. As companies across the globe begin to examine how to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into their business, Rue said the technology would have a significant role in the future of telecommunications, particularly in helping customers. 'One of the things we need to do in terms of IT and data and, indeed, process redesign is to look at how we incorporate AI into that,' he said. 'It will help us with customer experience. It will help us with identifying faults, for example, by identifying customers' issues so that they [can be] dealt with, enabling them to simply solve their own problems, enabling us to look at customer segmentation in a more granular way, so that we can actually deliver offers, deliver products to customers.' He said while AI would find efficiencies in the company, humans would always have a role. 'On top of AI, there's clearly decisions that would need to be taken by humans,' he said. 'AI can help bring a lot of data analytics quickly to humans so they can make better decisions. 'For example, you'll always need technicians in the field. You always need people building, you'll always need people making decisions around creative, people making decisions in call centres for customers, so AI can actually supplement that.' Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion Rue said his focus since starting at Optus had been examining the company's governance, risk management and how to rebuild trust in the community. 'The other focus I've had is clearly in looking at our longer-term plans in terms of network, with not just a focus on resilience, which you'd expect, but also a focus on [the] company longer-term,' he said. 'It's simplifying the organisation, managing our costs and ensuring that we can continue to have a range of products that are competitive in the marketplace.' After spending endless hours over the past few years answering questions from senators in Senate estimates about the state of the NBN, Rue said he was not surprised the government-owned national broadband network had not been a key focus of the federal election this time around. 'There was a lot of debate over the last decade. I think with the National Broadband Network that has now clearly been not just built out, but there's clear plans to upgrade technology to more fibre-based and to higher speeds, and the NBN has obviously also increased the capability of the fixed wireless network,' he said. 'In some ways, a lot of the policy debate has either been settled or has moved on in the last decade.' Rue said there was more to do on mobile coverage across Australia, and he was looking forward to working with the government, including the new communications minister, Anika Wells, on the universal outdoor mobile coverage plan that would leverage commercial low-earth orbit satellite networks, such as Starlink, to supplement mobile networks in places where there was no coverage for text and calls. 'I think that clearly will be a discussion of policy and how that can be implemented,' he said. 'Personally, I'm very supportive of these discussions with government, and it will, I think, provide operators like Optus and an ability to provide cost-effective ways to provide those services.' Optus reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $2.2bn, up 5.7% on its previous financial year.
West Australian
23-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Australia must prepare for Hollywood-style cyber attack
Australia has yet to suffer a critical, Hollywood-style cyber security incident, according to the nation's top online cop, but our defences are being tested and criminals grow in number. The rate of cyber attacks against Australian businesses may also be higher than statistics indicate, she warned as small businesses continue bearing the brunt of financial losses. National Cyber Security Co-ordinator Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness issued the warnings at the AusCERT Cyber Security Conference on the Gold Coast on Friday, while also promising public consultation to inform future online safety policies. The event has drawn 900 delegates and comes a month after large superannuation firms were targeted in a co-ordinated online attack and less than a year after 12.9 million Australians had private information stolen in the Medisecure hack. Despite a growing number of attacks on large Australian organisations including healthcare, telecommunications and legal firms, Lt Gen McGuinness told the audience none had damaged the nation's critical infrastructure or had a lasting impact. "Australia has seen the dark side of significant cyber incidents such as Optus, Medibank, Latitude Financial, HWL Ebsworth, Ramsay Health Care and Medisecure (but) we are actually yet to see a catastrophic cyber incident with impacts across multiple critical infrastructure sectors," she said. "We must continue to evolve and thrive to ensure that those scenes we see in Hollywood never actually eventuate." The most recent high-profile cyber attack in which criminals stole $750,000 from 10 AustralianSuper accounts had been the result of a "credential-stuffing attack", Lt Gen McGuinness confirmed, involving criminals using passwords leaked from another data breach. Financial losses from the attack were "relatively small" but aimed at a large financial market, she said, and should serve as a reminder for all parties to bolster online defences. The Annual Cyber Threat Report released in November found Australian cyber crime reports grew by 12 per cent in 2024 and the cost of attacks to individuals grew by 17 per cent to an average of $30,700. Cyber crime's cost to businesses fell by eight per cent according to the report, but Lt Gen McGuinness said the true cost of online crime was likely to be significantly higher given most Australian businesses were categorised as small and lost an average of $49,600 per incident. "These businesses don't have the staff and the resources to have dedicated IT professionals or security functions, let alone the capacity to respond to an incident without help," she said. "Our adversaries also know this." Australian businesses of all sizes should develop and practise incident response plans to avoid data theft, she said, and should refrain from paying ransoms demanded by criminals if possible to avoid being re-targeted. The Australian Cyber Security Strategy, launched in November 2023, is due to be updated by 2026 to address a broader range of cyber security investments, and a public consultation will be launched in the coming months.
