MOTIONS › Telecommunications: National Relay Service
Senator DUNIAM (Tasmania—Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries and Assistant Minister for Regional Tourism) (19:48): I seek leave to make a short statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute. Senator DUNIAM: Australia's National Relay Service has a range of services to support people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment to make and receive phone calls. The CapTel handset, which uses proprietary technology owned by a US company, Ultratec, ceased to be supported under the NRS from 1 February this year. The government advises any remaining CapTel users to migrate to the NRS supported alternatives. The government remains open to CapTel being supported by the NRS if Ultratec can strike a suitable commercial arrangement with the current NRS provider, Concentrix. Existing CapTel users should be aware that there is no certainty that such an arrangement can be reached. The PRESIDENT: The question is that motion No. 404 be agreed to.