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Optus to give customers 200GB data but no monetary compensation
By David Swan
Optus says it will give customers access to bonus data, rather than monetary compensation, after its mass outage yesterday.
The telco is offering customers on its postpaid mobile plans 200 gigabytes of bonus data, and its prepaid customers access to unlimited data on weekends until the end of the year.
More than 10 million customers and businesses were caught up in the outage, with customers left unable to make and receive calls or access the internet for 12 hours.
Optus will provide affected customers with free data, not monetary compensation.Credit: Chris Hopkins
The telco’s managing director Matt Williams told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that compensation in the form of bonus data would be more meaningful to customers than the dollar value of a day’s outage.
“We wanted to do something that has much more value and that is what we’re doing with this data offering. This amount of data would be worth over $100, and that compares to something like $1 per day in terms of the typical plans our customers buy.”
He said that the data represented a way to “thank customers for their patience”.
Gladys Berejiklian, Optus’ managing director of enterprise and business and the former premier of NSW, said that the offer would also be valid for small businesses, who will receive extra data rather than monetary compensation.
“Look, I just want to emphasise how deeply sorry we are about the impact of the outage on all of our business customers of all sizes,” she told this masthead.
“But obviously, we have a really strong record of supporting businesses of all sizes. That will continue, and yesterday is obviously a day where we understand there were many businesses impacted but the relationship we have with our businesses we will continue to build on.”
Today’s headlines at a glance
By Anthony Segaert
Thank you for your company this evening, this is where we’ll leave our live coverage of the day’s news.
Here’s what you need to know about the day:
- Optus says it will give customers access to bonus data – but no monetary compensation – after its mass outage yesterday
- Hamas leaders have explained their October 7 attack calculations, saying that “now no one in the region is experiencing calm”.
The government has suffered a symbolic defeat over its controversial industrial relations reforms after the Senate voted to effectively split the bill.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the government will spend $350 million on climate-related infrastructure and energy projects in the Pacific.
- In NSW, a long-time Sydney mayor has been dumped from office after the state’s corruption watchdog found he engaged in serious corrupt conduct.
- In Victoria, a Supreme Court jury has awarded a child sex abuse victim $5.9 million in damages after finding the Western Bulldogs Football Club was negligent in protecting him from harm.
And if you’re still waiting to get your hands on Taylor Swift tickets, tomorrow’s the day when resales begin and a few more restricted view seats open up. Get a good night’s sleep – and good luck.
See you tomorrow.
Rapist’s release after High Court decision triggers Senate debate
By Angus Thompson
A Rohingya man convicted of raping a 10-year-old boy has been released on strict visa conditions after winning a High Court legal battle against the Commonwealth to overturn a 20-year-old legal precedent that could see the release of more than 90 people the government cannot deport.
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said the government would do everything possible to ensure community safety but couldn’t act without the advice of the Solicitor General, who warned the High Court on Wednesday that the cohort featured convicted murderers, sex offenders and people smugglers.
“The High Court has just handed down a decision which has substantially changed the operation of the law insofar as it relates to immigration detention,” he said.
Fuming teachers give SA government an ‘F’ on pay offer
Teachers at a fiery rally in front of South Australia’s parliament house have threatened further strikes if they aren’t offered better pay and conditions, but the state government is still hopeful of a resolution.
Thousands of Australian Education Union (AEU) members walked off the job on Thursday in the second strike in two months, with discussions over a new enterprise bargaining agreement reaching a deadlock.
AEU SA branch president Andrew Gohl threatened more disruption if the government does not deliver increased pay and reduced workloads.
“We have 1800 students in South Australia right at this very moment who have no regular teacher in front of them,” he told crowds massed before the steps of parliament.
“This is a government that is fixed on the short-term and political imperative without a view to what’s best for South Australian people, what’s best for public education in the long term.”
Hundreds of schools across the state shut their doors or offered modified classes but physics and accounting SACE exams for about 1000 year 12 students went ahead as planned.
AAP
Optus to give customers 200GB data but no monetary compensation
By David Swan
Optus says it will give customers access to bonus data, rather than monetary compensation, after its mass outage yesterday.
The telco is offering customers on its postpaid mobile plans 200 gigabytes of bonus data, and its prepaid customers access to unlimited data on weekends until the end of the year.
More than 10 million customers and businesses were caught up in the outage, with customers left unable to make and receive calls or access the internet for 12 hours.
Optus will provide affected customers with free data, not monetary compensation.Credit: Chris Hopkins
The telco’s managing director Matt Williams told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that compensation in the form of bonus data would be more meaningful to customers than the dollar value of a day’s outage.
“We wanted to do something that has much more value and that is what we’re doing with this data offering. This amount of data would be worth over $100, and that compares to something like $1 per day in terms of the typical plans our customers buy.”
He said that the data represented a way to “thank customers for their patience”.
Gladys Berejiklian, Optus’ managing director of enterprise and business and the former premier of NSW, said that the offer would also be valid for small businesses, who will receive extra data rather than monetary compensation.
“Look, I just want to emphasise how deeply sorry we are about the impact of the outage on all of our business customers of all sizes,” she told this masthead.
“But obviously, we have a really strong record of supporting businesses of all sizes. That will continue, and yesterday is obviously a day where we understand there were many businesses impacted but the relationship we have with our businesses we will continue to build on.”
Pacific Islands Forum dances around Nauru tensions
An attempt by Pacific Islands Forum leaders to revisit a unity pact has sparked a walk-out by Nauru, showing tensions remain close to the surface at the pivotal regional body.
The Micronesian nation’s delegation left a plenary session today to protest against a discussion over its preferred candidate for the position of Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) secretary general Baron Waqa.
PIF leaders downplayed the prospects of a fresh rift, but Nauru Prime Minister David Adeang was not seen among them when they travelled to the island of Aitutaki to continue talks.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dances before receiving a gift during a welcome ceremony the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) in Aitutaki, Cook Islands,.Credit: AAP/Mick Tsikas
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he did not see Nauru depart the talks and that rumoured splintering had been over-hyped.
“From what I’ve heard, emphasised by all the leaders who’ve spoken ... there’s a great deal of unity,” he said.
It remains to be seen whether Adeang will join the other leaders later, or if his absence is a sign of greater troubles.
Leaders from the Pacific have gathered in Rarotonga this week for the annual PIF leaders’ meeting.
The 18-nation grouping is a combustible forum given it represents nations as different as regional heavyweights Australia and New Zealand and micro-states such as Niue and Tuvalu.
The body is of huge importance to Australia, with Albanese investing a mighty diplomatic effort into maintaining its place as the Pacific’s primary decision-making group.
The centrepiece is the leaders’ retreat, where one representative from each nation discusses the region’s biggest issues behind closed doors in a day-long meeting.
This year, several issues have been added to the retreat agenda at the 11th hour. One of those is the Suva Agreement, which caused Nauru’s walk-out.
The Suva Agreement was a deal struck last year to keep Kiribati in the PIF after the Micronesian nation complained about a lack of power-sharing with its region.
Under the deal, the five members of Micronesia were allowed to choose the next PIF secretary-general and selected Baron Waqa.
But the process and decision to select Waqa for the role have been highly controversial.
Waqa, a former Nauru president, was deeply involved in Australia’s asylum seeker processing centre in his nation and during his tenure, sacked the country’s judiciary and led a crackdown on media.
Both he and Adeang have been linked to an Australian Federal Police corruption probe into an Australian phosphate company operating in Nauru.
Critics say Waqa is unfit to lead PIF but members, including Australia and New Zealand, have backed Micronesia’s decision, seeing it as crucial for unity.
“I’m not going to get into those issues,” Albanese said when asked about Mr Waqa’s suitability for the job.
AAP
Pictured: lightning hits Sydney train network
By Anthony Segaert
As the severe weather moves through Sydney and the state, we’ve got a photo of the moment lightning strikes Sydney’s train network.
Lightning hit a train line pole around Casula, in Sydney’s southwest, earlier this afternoon, resulting in a fiery explosion, pictured. The overhead wiring collapsed.
Footage has captured the moment lightning hits a pole on Sydney’s train network, bringing down a section of the T2 and T5 line.
Train services between Liverpool and Glenfield have been suspended as transport authorities attempt to safely repair the damage.
CBA lifts interest rates on home loans and some savings
By Millie Muroi
The country’s largest bank is the last of the big four to make a move on its variable home loan rates and some savings rates after the Reserve Bank hiked the cash rate this week.
Commonwealth Bank has just announced it will increase its variable home loan rates by 0.25 per cent a year, effective from November 17.
CBA also increased the variable introductory rate on NetBank Saver accounts by 0.35 per cent a year to 5.2 per cent.
Commonwealth Bank is the last of the big four banks to pass on the interest rate hike.Credit: Bloomberg
The bank lifted the bonus interest rate on GoalSaver accounts by 0.25 per cent a year to 4.9 per cent. Customers must meet certain requirements to receive maximum bonus rates. CBA’s Youthsaver accounts saw a 0.25 per cent increase in its bonus rate to 5 per cent a year.
The changes come after NAB, Westpac and ANZ lifted rates on their home loans and some savings accounts on Wednesday.
CBA’s group executive of retail banking, Angus Sullivan, said the bank had increased rates on some of its savings products by more than the RBA cash rate change of 0.25 per cent.
“We know Australians are facing increasing cost of living pressures and for some households this is more difficult than for others,” he said.
CBA will also extend the availability of the 24-month term deposit special of five per cent.
NSW bracing for strong afternoon storm
By Anthony Segaert
If you’re in NSW, run for cover – or at least get out a heavy-duty umbrella.
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for the Hunter region, with heavy rain expected from Gosford to Gilgandra this afternoon.
A thunderstorm heads towards Bankstown in Sydney. Credit: Janie Barrett
The Bureau of Meteorology is also warning of heavy rainfall south to Hornsby and Mona Vale, but rain is expected this afternoon up and down most of the state.
“Heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding is likely,” the Bureau said.
The radar shows the rain hitting populated coastal regions at about 4.30pm.
Hollywood actors’ strike ends
By Garry Maddox
After 118 fractious days, the Hollywood actors’ strike appears to be over.
The negotiating committee of the union that represents thousands of actors, SAG-AFTRA, has reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with major studios represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
The longest actors’ strike in history is finally set to end.Credit: Chris Pizzello
“In a unanimous vote this afternoon, the SAG/AFTRA TV/Theatrical Committee approved a tentative agreement with the AMPTP bringing an end to the 118 day strike,” the union said in a statement.
“The strike officially ends at 12:01am on Thursday, November 9.”
Asthma warning as thunderstorms whip up Victoria
By Lachlan Abbott
Hundreds of Victorians have gone to hospital over the last two days as stormy weather and high grass-pollen levels combined to cause a dramatic spike in emergency department visits for asthma.
The Victorian Department of Health says 320 people presented to public hospitals with “asthma-like” symptoms across the state from 4pm on Tuesday until 10pm on Wednesday.
The state’s public hospital system has averaged just 43 asthma-related emergency department presentations a day in the last month.
A severe thunderstorm asthma event overwhelmed Melbourne hospitals in November 2016, leaving 10 people dead and triggering 1900 calls to Ambulance Victoria.
Ambulance Victoria had an increase in calls for respiratory cases from 5pm Tuesday into today, but said it was well-resourced to manage the caseload after forecasting warned of moderate epidemic thunderstorm asthma conditions.
Melbourne’s outer south-east bore the brunt of thunderstorm asthma cases since Tuesday. Casey Hospital had 66 presentations compared to a 30-day median of two, while Dandenong Hospital had 56 presentations compared to a 30-day median of one.
“This is a timely reminder for anyone who experiences asthma and spring hay fever to be prepared and have their reliever medication available at all times,” a health department spokesperson said.
A moderate thunderstorm asthma forecast is active in Victoria’s north, north-east and east today, but Melbourne is back to a low rating.
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2023-11-09 07:53:26Z
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