Search Results for: Telstra

Help for Telstra Customers in Far North Queensland

Posted on September 27, 2023 by - ICAN News

ICAN Financial Counsellors Unaisi Buli and Zack Wildy visited Thursday Island this month to talk with people in the community who had purchased goods from Telstra.  Their visit was a result of remediation funding provided by Telstra to explore mis-selling and misconduct at their retail stores, which targeted First Nations consumers across Cape York and the Torres Strait.

“In 2021, Telstra were fined $50 million for mis-selling to Indigenous consumers at stores in Western Australia and the Northern Territory”, Zack said.  “As a result of this fine, Telstra provided funding to financial counselling services like ICAN to find out if the same thing was happening elsewhere in the country.

“The text-book case is that someone went into a Telstra store for something basic like a credit recharge or a simple plan, and walked out with a phone, tablet, headphones, Bluetooth speaker and any number of other products or services that they likely could not afford, did not need, or could not use”.

So far ICAN have identified 30 cases of mis-selling and expects that there are more to come.

Telstra Refunds, Compensation

Unaisi said, “Although a lot of time may have passed since someone visited a store, or even if the debt was waived or written off, the account can still be found and people may be eligible for refunds, removal of credit defaults, and in some cases, compensation for undue harm and distress.

“A significant portion of the people we see who have experienced this misconduct have advised of feelings of shame, anxiety, guilt, embarrassment, and fear, especially when debt collectors become involved.  In these cases, compensation can be awarded in the thousands of dollars.”

ICAN has said that although it appreciates the efforts that Telstra have made to address this conduct themselves, for example, via regional outreach visits in the Telstra Pink Bus and by waiving debts based on postcode information, they do not feel that this has done enough to address the harm caused by the mis-selling.

Zack explained, “We are seeing people who visited the Pink Bus or had a debt waived another way, and that is great, but when they could be entitled to thousands of dollars in refunds or compensation, it does not seem like they are getting a fair deal.

“We are really interested in speaking to people who may have visited the Pink Bus or had a debt with Telstra not only to ensure that they receive what they are entitled to under the remediation agreement but also so we can gather cases that may lead to a pro-active response from Telstra to address the misconduct, separate from what happened in WA and the NT,” said Zack.

In addition to cases of miss-selling in these regions, ICAN also received significant feedback from the people we spoke to about Telstra’s general poor engagement with remote communities, including network coverage.  Telstra’s inadequate network coverage impacts individuals, businesses, and emergency services, yet residents are charged the same price as the wider Australian community while getting only a fraction of the service.

Zack said, “ICAN plan on visiting Yarrabah in October and would like to speak to anyone in the community who purchased goods from a Telstra shop.  People can keep an eye on our socials for more details about our upcoming visit or drop in and see us at the ICAN Yarrabah office.”

ICAN have offices in Cairns, Townsville and Atherton and have provided financial counselling support to mob across North Queensland for over 15 years.  If would like to speak to us about something you purchased from a Telstra shop, please contact ICAN on 1800 369 878 (free call).

Read our March 2023 Telstra story here.

Turning Outages into Accountability

Posted on July 22, 2026 by - ICAN News

Under new reporting requirements that came into effect on 30 June 2026, telcos are now reporting significant local outages[1] via unified and accessible public registers, creating a long-term public record of where outages have occurred, how long they lasted and how often they’re happening. For advocates and communities, it’s an important step towards making telecommunications providers more accountable for service reliability in regional and remote Australia.

For ICAN Financial Counsellor Zack Wildy, that’s welcome news.

“Telecommunications outages can affect anyone, anywhere,” he said. “But when you’re already isolated, an outage can mean you’re completely cut off. In remote communities, losing connection can have far-reaching consequences because people often have fewer options and greater distances to essential services.”

In remote communities, a loss of phone or internet service can mean losing access to family, support services, banking services, online government services and critical information. The impacts can be even greater during Far North Queensland’s wet season, when communities may be dealing with flooding, severe weather and tropical cyclones.

As more essential services move online, reliable telecommunications are no longer a convenience. They’re a necessity.

Turning Community Experiences into Data

For years, communities have told service providers, governments and advocates about frequent outages.

The challenge has been proving just how widespread the problem is.

ICAN Advocacy Manager, Jillian Williams, said the lack of publicly available information has made it difficult for regional and remote consumers to demonstrate the extent of the issue. 

“We know that people living in remote and regional Australia regularly experience telecommunication outages, and until now there has been no accessible public record of how frequently these outages are occurring.

This means there has been no accessible data to support regional and remote telecommunication consumers in raising their concerns about the regularity and extent of outages.

The only time the issue gets attention is when a widespread outage occurs affecting large numbers of people, generally based in metropolitan areas.

Requiring telecommunication companies to provide consistent public data about outages is critical as it will allow communities and government to hold telecommunication providers to account when people in regional and remote Australia are experiencing regular outages. These are people who are paying the same amount of money for telecommunication services as people in metropolitan areas but for far less reliable services.”

This in turn will ensure pressure can be placed for improved network reliability when outages are due to poorly maintained infrastructure for instance.

Why the Register Matters for Consumer Advocates

The new outage register is more than a transparency measure.

For consumer advocates and community organisations, it provides evidence.

Rather than relying solely on complaints, community feedback, and local experiences, advocates will be able to access publicly reported outage data showing where outages occur, how often they happen, and how long they last. That information can help identify patterns, support policy reform, strengthen advocacy campaigns and build a stronger case for improved infrastructure and service standards.

The register is also expected to provide a broader national picture of telecommunications reliability in regional and remote Australia.

“We’re aware of localised outages because communities tell us about them or we experience them ourselves when we’re visiting communities,” Zack said.

“But that only gives us a small snapshot of what’s happening across the broader network.”

Consistent public reporting will help communities, consumer advocates and service providers better understand the scale of the issue and work together to push for improvements where they are needed most.

Accountability Starts with Visibility

The new reporting requirements won’t prevent outages, but they will ensure they are visible. For communities that have long experienced unreliable services, that’s an important first step.

As Zack puts it, “Telecommunication outages in regional and remote Australia happen too often. They need to be prioritised because communities rely on these services to stay safe, connected and informed.”

View the national historic public outage registers for Telstra and Optus here:

[1] A significant local outage is when there is an unplanned adverse impact to a telco network supplying carriage services which, among other things, affects or is likely to affect:

  • 250 or more services in operation in remote Australia that is expected to last for 3 or more hours
    • 1,000 or more services in operation in regional Australia that is expected to last for 6 or more hours.

ICAN Ramps up Telco Remediation Outreach

Posted on March 18, 2026 by - ICAN News

The Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network (ICAN) is encouraging people across North Queensland to check whether they may be eligible for remediation after being sold an unsuitable mobile phone plan through Telstra or Optus. ICAN is currently delivering dedicated Telco Remediation Outreach services, helping people who may have been signed up to plans that were too expensive, difficult to understand, or simply not right for their needs.

To help spread the word, ICAN’s communications team has produced a short promotional video that will be shared across community Facebook noticeboards and local networks ahead of outreach visits. The video encourages anyone who may have struggled with their phone bills or felt pressured into a plan they didn’t fully understand to speak with ICAN’s team. Importantly, the service is free, confidential and independent, and staff can help people check whether they may be entitled to remediation.

ICAN’s Telco Remediation team will be visiting communities across North Queensland during the first half of 2026, including Laura, Cooktown, Townsville, Ayr, Bowen, Mount Isa, Normanton, Doomadgee, the Northern Peninsula Area, Ingham, Cardwell, Tully, Saibai Island, Badu Island, Horn Island, Kowanyama, Pormpuraaw, Charters Towers, Hughenden, Richmond and Julia Creek. With the Telstra remediation program set to close on 30 June, ICAN is encouraging people who believe they may have been affected to come forward before the deadline so their situation can be reviewed.

People may be eligible for assistance if their phone plan was too expensive, if they were sold something they didn’t understand, or if they have struggled to keep up with Telstra bills because of the plan. Anyone wanting to learn more about the Telstra or Optus remediation program can contact our remediation teams at;

Telstra – Phone: 1800311988 Email: telstra@ican.org.au or Optus – Phone: 1800 295 197 Email: optus@ican.org.au . ICAN encourages community members to watch and share video posts with family and friends. If something about a phone plan never felt right, it may be worth having a yarn with the ICAN team when they visit your community.

New Year, Clear Focus

Posted on January 20, 2026 by - ICAN News

The new year is a good time to reflect, reset, and focus on what matters most. Like many of you, I tend to be skeptical about New Year’s resolutions. This year, instead of making personal promises I might not keep, I want to share ICAN’s resolutions for 2026. These are practical commitments based on what we have learned and where we are going.

Resolution 1: Stronger integration for better client outcomes

In 2025, we worked on reducing client wait times and improving how our financial counselling and financial capability services work together. We saw real progress, with shorter waitlists and better teamwork. In 2026, we will keep strengthening our services, processes, and systems so clients get support that is more seamless, timely, and effective.

Resolution 2: Whole-of-organisation responses to key issues

Last year, we set up ICAN Grow, which brings research, advocacy, communications, and business development into one team. In 2026, Grow will help us respond to key issues across the whole organisation, such as scambling, financial wellbeing in prison, and First Nations workforce development. This will help us make sure our practice, evidence, and advocacy all work together.

Resolutions 3 and 4: Building and sustaining the workforce

Workforce development is still at the heart of ICAN’s mission. In 2025, we partnered with organisations like HKTC, 54 Reasons, Lutheran Care, South-East Community Links, Winun Ngari, and Financial Counselling Australia through formal agreements. In 2026, we will keep supporting the professionalisation of the financial capability workforce and will source government, corporate, and philanthropic funding for accredited training and professional development.

Resolution 5: Deeper community reach

In 2025, programs like Yarnin’ Energy, Telstra Remediation, and MoneyBusiness helped ICAN become more community focused. This year, we will keep that momentum going by reaching out to more communities and offering financial wellbeing and education programs where they are needed most.

Resolution 6: Aligning our foundations with our future

Finally, we will put into action the changes from the ICAN Board’s review of our vision, mission, and constitution. Since we started in 2007, ICAN has changed a lot, growing from a regional First Nations service in Far North Queensland to a national organisation supporting workforce development and financial wellbeing. Our governance framework needs to reflect these changes.

These resolutions are not just hopes; they are real commitments shaped by our experience, our partners, and our communities. If any of this speaks to you, or if you see ways we could work together in 2026, please get in touch. We are always open to working together to improve financial wellbeing and consumer rights.

Have a great year!

Aaron Davis, ICAN CEO/Managing Director

Putting People Before Profit: Why Telco Sales Must Change

Posted on May 22, 2025 by - ICAN News

Putting People Before Profit — Why Telco Sales Must Change

Australia’s leading consumer advocates are calling time on the broken telco sales system. The Fair Call Coalition, a powerful alliance of 23 consumer bodies including the Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network (ICAN), is urging the federal government to replace the telecommunications industry’s failed self-regulation model with clear, enforceable rules.

The call comes after shocking new research commissioned by the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) revealed that nearly 1 in 4 Australians have felt pressured into signing up for more expensive phone or internet plans than they wanted. It’s a pattern that continues to harm some of the country’s most marginalised consumers – particularly First Nations people, those living remotely, people with disability and those on low incomes.

“People deserve telco services they can trust – not pressure, confusion, and debt,” said ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett.

The Cost of Commissions

At the heart of the problem is a commission-based sales culture that rewards telco staff for pushing high-value contracts – regardless of whether the customer can afford or even understand the product.

“Sales targets and commission-based bonuses have no place in essential services like communications,” Bennett said. “We need rules that ensure people are sold services they understand, can afford, and actually need.”

For ICAN, which supports First Nations consumers across northern Queensland, the issue goes beyond affordability – it’s about fairness, access, and cultural safety.

ICAN’s Experience on the Ground

“For our service users, imbalances of power, low literacy and numeracy will often lead to exploitation by predatory salespeople working on commission-based bonuses,” said ICAN CEO Aaron Davis.

“Telecommunication products are essential household items for people living in regional and remote communities. A lack of access to shop front services means that services can only be accessed by phone or the internet, which makes it even more critical that people are supported, not pushed into sales.”

ICAN’s own work in telco remediation highlights just how common these harms are.

“As an organisation currently involved in telco consumer remediation activities, I can say it really is in the best interest of telecommunication companies to ensure people understand what they’re buying and can afford it,” Davis added.

A Turning Point?

The Coalition’s call follows legal action by the ACCC against Optus for allegedly unconscionable conduct targeting vulnerable consumers, a stark reminder that Telstra was fined $50 million in 2021 for similar breaches.

While the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code is currently under review, ACCAN believes it won’t be enough without direct regulatory oversight.

“Self-regulation has failed to protect consumers – its chances have been exhausted,” Bennett said. “It is time to stem the tide of consumer harm by moving to direct regulation of sales practices.”

What’s Next?

The Fair Call Coalition is urging the new Minister for Communications, Anika Wells, to direct the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to introduce mandatory rules that stop telcos from putting profits ahead of people.

At ICAN, we stand with the Fair Call Coalition in calling for a fairer, safer telco system – one that prioritises consumer wellbeing over commissions.

For more information or to get involved, visit www.accan.org.au .

ICAN helps customers connect

Posted on March 29, 2023 by - ICAN News

ICAN recently received funding from Telstra to identify any instances of product misselling across several Indigenous communities in North Queensland, from the Cape to Palm Island.  The funding comes on the back of the $50M fine Telstra was ordered to pay by the Federal Government in 2021, the second-highest fine ever issued under Australian Consumer Law.

Between January 2016 and August 2018, Telstra admitted it breached the Australian Consumer Law and acted unconscionably when sales staff at five licensed Telstra-branded stores in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia signed up 108 Indigenous consumers to multiple post-paid mobile contracts which they did not understand and could not afford.

At the time, there was no indication of large-scale misselling by Telstra in Queensland.  However, on further investigation, the financial counselling sector now believes there are potential misselling cases across several North Queensland Indigenous communities.

ICAN Financial Counsellor, Zack Wildy, said, “Effectively, what led to the $50M fine is that Indigenous consumers would go into the Telstra shop for something pretty basic, like a phone recharge or to look at a plan.  Instead, they walk out with a brand-new iPhone, Xbox, a premium phone plan, or any number of items.

“The issue with all of this is that for many people, the cost of those goods was far beyond what they could afford, and no credit checks were done, so people were sold goods and services they couldn’t afford and didn’t need.  In some cases, there weren’t any Telstra towers to provide an internet connection, so the devices sold to them couldn’t even be used,” said Zack.

Redress and Compensation

Since the fine was issued, Telstra has been proactive in visiting all communities, including those in Queensland, to speak with residents and wipe out some of the debt.  However, this doesn’t address the separate issue of misselling.

Telstra’s funding will allow ICAN to travel to communities to explore whether there have been other instances of misspelling, which ICAN will bring to Telstra’s attention.  ICAN’s role will be to advocate for those customers to obtain redress and compensation and support people experiencing hardship in paying their Telstra bills.

“Telstra is obligated to also provide compensation for that misselling because it had some pretty serious knock-on effects to people’s stress levels and wellbeing, especially if they were harassed by debt collectors”, said Zack.

ICAN will be visiting North Queensland communities as part of our regular weekly outreach and engaging with the community to let them know we want to hear from them if they bought any products or services from Telstra.  We will keep communities informed about our visits to ensure we can speak to as many people as possible.

Scamwatch: Coronavirus

Posted on May 8, 2020 by - ICAN News

Unfortunately, as the effects of the Covid-19 virus in Australia have become increasingly serious, a number of scammers have sought to take advantage of consumers. The ACCC’s Consumer Consultative Committee (of which ICAN is a member) has provided the latest information about frequently reported coronavirus scams, scams targeted at specific sectors, and advice for consumers.

General Scams

Scammers are taking advantage of current high demand and shortages of face and surgical masks by purporting to sell and deliver facemasks. They may use names of prominent companies known to produce these masks, particularly those based in Europe. Victims are asked to pay via bank transfers in advance, typically to bank accounts in European countries; however, the victim never receives the product, the scammer becomes unreachable, or the websites/platforms disappear. There have also been cases where victims are directed to collect the paid masks from various clinics, only to discover upon collection that there were no such arrangements.

  • Similar scams exist for other products impacted by the coronavirus, such as hand sanitiser and other medical PPE. Scammers are also offering non-existent cures or vaccinations for the virus.
  • Scammers are emailing malicious links and documents that claim to contain information on how to protect against the spread of COVID-19. In many cases, recipients are asked to log into a website with their email address and password. By doing so, criminals can install malware on the recipient’s device and steal money or sensitive information. To do this, scammers are impersonating prominent organisations such as the Department of Health in Australia, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
  • Using text messages and social media, scammers are impersonating grocery retailers such as Coles and Woolworths. They offer free shopping vouchers to help consumers financially impacted by the coronavirus. Clicking the link provided by these scammers may lead to the loss of an individual’s information.
  • Scammers are using the coronavirus to assist in the perpetration of puppy scams.  Consumers should always properly investigate a breeder before committing to the purchase of an animal.
Financial Scams
  • Scammers are taking advantage of the Government’s announcement that people suffering financial hardship can have early access to their superannuation from mid-April. Scammers have been messaging or cold calling individuals, claiming to be able to help them obtain early access to their superannuation; and determining if they are eligible for benefits or that the Government’s new superannuation scheme will lock them out of their accounts. While no losses have yet been recorded for these scams, lost personal information could potentially allow scammers to access an individual’s super account.
  • The ATO is managing the new early-release process through the MyGov website. There is no need to involve a third party, and there are no fees involved.
  • There are a number of investment scams, particularly via social media, that are claiming that coronavirus has created opportunities for investment and encouraging consumers to invest with them.
  • Scammers are impersonating banking and financial institutes, claiming that personal details need updating in response to the pandemic.
  • Scammers are impersonating suppliers in business email compromise scams and using COVID-19 as an excuse to divert businesses’ usual account payments to a different bank account.
Telecommunications Scams
  • Scammers have been calling victims and impersonating health or government officials asking for personal information to conduct “contact tracing” –an identification and monitoring process for people who have been in close contact with infected individuals. Typically, victims are asked for payment or banking details for purported “verification” purposes.
  • There have been multiple reports that scammers are claiming to be a representative of Telstra or Netflix offering free streaming services.
Scams affecting CALD communities
  • Scammers have been targeting the Chinese community with automated messages about coronavirus and threatening individuals with arrest if money is not urgently sent.
  • Scamwatch has received reports of the above superannuation scams targeting the Thai community in Australia; however other CALD communities may also be affected by this scam. A warning about these scams will be available in Thai on the Scamwatch website.
Scams affecting older Australians
  • Scammers are reportedly calling older Australians pretending to be a relative (e.g. grandchild) after being admitted to hospital for medical treatment for a COVID-19 infection. Victims are urged to pay for medical treatment by depositing money or handing over cash or other valuables to “hospital representatives” who will appear at the victims’ residence.
  • Scammers are using the Government’s announcement on early superannuation access to target older consumers. People should be particularly wary of any cold callers claiming they can provide advice on whether their super account is eligible for various benefits or claiming the new scheme will lock them out their super accounts.
  • In most cases the scammers are seeking to obtain personal information that will help them fraudulently access a victim’s superannuation funds.
Protecting Yourself
  • Be aware of fraudulent emails claiming to be from experts saying that they have information about the virus. For the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus, visit the Department of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO).
  • When buying essentials be careful of fake online shopping sites requesting unusual payment methods such as upfront payment via money order, wire transfer, international funds transfer, preloaded card or electronic currency, like Bitcoin. Information is available at Online shopping scams.
  • The best way to detect a fake trader or social media online shopping scam is to search for reviews before purchasing. No vaccine or cure presently exists for the coronavirus.
  • Don’t let anyone pressure you to make quick decisions. Take your time and consider who you are dealing with.
  • Don’t click on links from sources you don’t know. They could download viruses onto your computer or device.
  • Don’t open attachments or click on links in emails, text messages or social media messages you’ve received from strangers — just press delete.
  • Never respond to unsolicited messages and calls that ask for personal or financial details — just press delete or hang up.
  • Always keep your computer security up to date with anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall. Only buy computer and anti-virus software from a reputable source.
  • If you are planning to donate, do your research. If you are donating to crowdfunding requests, check the terms and conditions of funding platforms and ensure you are dealing with official organisations.
  • If you are donating to an established charity or not-for-profit organisation, ensure it is registered and that you are on the official website by searching the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Charity Register.
  • Stay up to date with latest consumer advice relating to COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the ACCC website at: www.accc.gov.au/covid-19

Yarns from the north (Part 2)

Posted on December 22, 2019 by - ICAN News

Pictured: Broome Circle, Financial Counsellor, Alan Gray.

Hi Alan, thanks for agreeing to this interview for our ‘Yarn’s from the north’ series. As stated on the phone I’ve been really impressed by your consumer advocacy and wanted to focus the story on that.

Firstly , can you please tell me about the region that you cover as a financial counsellor?

Our agency Broome circle, covers the West Kimberley, which includes Broome township, plus Bdiyadanga (the largest Aboriginal community in WA) and three other remote communities: Beagle Bay, Djarindjin and One Arm Point.  That’s an areas nearly the size of Tasmania but spread out with only 16,000 people.  95% of my clients are Indigenous.

Do you find that the consumer issues that you see with one client are often systemic across the Kimberly?

Yes, it seems that if some rip-off merchant has taken advantage of one family member, they’ve done it to many!  An because communities in the Kimberley are often isolated from each other, the rip-off merchants can roll up to the next community without anyone suspecting their behaviour.

If so, what are the most pressing issues that you’ve come across?

Telstra’s unaffordable phone plans; consumer leases for fridges and washing machines; payday loans and other high-interest loans; high bank fees; car loan debt; power disconnections; housing evictions; homelessness and poverty driven by addiction.  Online or digital scams are becoming more prevalent too.

Why do you think consumer advocacy is so important in financial counselling? Do you think you get better results for your clients as a result?

I think of advocacy as the key activity of a financial counsellor – otherwise we’re just paper shufflers.  Sometimes I think we should be renamed financial advocates.  With the mentality of an advocate we can tackle someone’s problem with the aim of solving it – not just managing it.  So in practical terms I would never try to get someone onto a debt repayment plan to a debt collector, or get them a three month Hardship pause on repayments – if their long-term circumstances are not going to improve.  That just makes us an unpaid agent of the debt collector.  I would always try to get a debt waiver.

Financial counsellors can be a bit wary of the media, what has given you the confidence to engage them for the benefit of your clients?

I find it easy to engage with journalists because I’ve been one for more than 30 years.  I know how they think, and what they want, so I suppose that helps.

And are you selective on what media outlets you’ll engage with?

Yes – I never bother with right wing media whose audience and bosses are never going to listen to our side of the story anyway – that’s a waste of effort.  I concentrate on ABC TV and radio, local indigenous radio, and finally newspapers.

Client stories obviously provide the ‘gold’ to any consumer advocacy campaign, what’s your feelings on getting clients directly involved?

Yes, the story coming directly from the client has the best impact on viewers or listeners.  But many clients feel too embarrassed or shy to talk to media, and I would never urge anyone to participate if they didn’t want to.  We’re lucky in the West Kimberley – there seems to be a tradition among the Saltwater people from this region of not being shy of a microphone or camera!

Anything else you’d like to say on the subject? Do you have links to web media stories that are in line with the issues you mentioned earlier?

Here are a few stories I’ve been involved with lately:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-19/telstra-to-buy-back-debt-of-ripped-off-customers/11713902

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-07/telstra-apologises-at-aboriginal-economic-development-forum/11681306

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-13/tax-office-chases-remote-residents-over-fraudulent-claims/11690766