Telstra fined $50 million over unconscionable treatment of Indigenous phone plan customers

The Federal Court has ordered Telstra to pay a penalty of $50 million plus costs for its treatment of Indigenous customers in rural and remote parts of Australia.

O’Sullivan Centre Board Member, Peter Gartlan working with the Financial Counselling Australia (FCA), which submitted nearly 100 cases from remote parts of Australia to the ACCC, said:

“The decision sends a clear message to the telco industry that mis-selling practices will not be tolerated”

“This conduct should have never happened in the first place.”

Peter worked for 2 years to bring this case to court. “Getting the cases to court involved a “monumental effort” by financial counsellors who worked with Aboriginal people in remote parts of Australia”.

“To the extent this conduct was systemic and so broad … this is the first time we’ve seen such conduct on such a huge scale,” he said.

“And that is why this fine is so important.”

For more information see:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-13/telstra-fined-over-treatment-of-indigenous-phone-plan-customers/100132000