The Claim
“Put the 000 call service out to tender, despite their own review saying not to.”
Original Sources Provided
✅ FACTUAL VERIFICATION
The core facts of this claim are substantially accurate but require important context.
The Turnbull government did put the 000 emergency call service out to tender in 2016, and there was indeed a government review that recommended against proceeding immediately [1]. The 2014 Review of the National Triple Zero (000) Operator explicitly recommended delaying the tender process. According to the archived Business Insider article citing the 2014 review: "The review recommended delaying the 2016 tender because 'without such clarity may place at risk the current successful delivery model and could also result in a protracted period of negotiation with the successful bidder, the current operator and other jurisdictions'" [1].
Communications Minister Mitch Fifield announced the Expressions of Interest (EOI) process on October 6, 2016, calling for responses by November 25, 2016 [1]. The tender document (DCON/16/67) sought "Expressions of Interest from interested parties capable of providing the Emergency Call Service in accordance with regulatory requirements" [2].
However, the original Business Insider article included a critical correction: "The initial version of this story said the Turnbull government planned to privatise the service. This was incorrect." [1] The government was putting the service out to tender—not inherently privatising it. Telstra, a public company with mixed government/private ownership, was the incumbent operator and could have won the renewed tender.
Missing Context
The claim omits several crucial contextual factors:
Legal Obligation
The tender was not a discretionary decision. The 2014 review explicitly states: "The Australian Government and Telstra agreed that Telstra would continue as the national Triple Zero operator for up to 20 years, subject to a competitive tender to be issued by 23 June 2016" [2]. This was a contractual obligation inherited from the previous arrangement, not a new policy initiative. The government was legally required to conduct the tender by June 23, 2016.
Rationale for Proceeding Despite Review Recommendation
While the 2014 review recommended postponing the tender, the government proceeded because:
Legal obligation: The contract with Telstra mandated a tender by June 2016 [2]. Failure to conduct it would breach the existing agreement.
Technological imperative: Two-thirds of emergency calls were being made from mobile phones, and the review itself identified this as requiring urgent attention. The government was conducting a parallel tender for location technology solutions (closing October 14, 2016) to modernize the service [1]. Proceeding with the operator tender allowed for procurement of updated technology capabilities.
Government position on competitiveness: Communications Minister Mitch Fifield stated the EOI process was "the latest step in ensuring all Australians have access to a world-class service which can keep pace with new and innovative technologies" [1]. The government viewed the competitive process as a mechanism to drive service improvement, not undermine it.
The Review's Actual Recommendation
The 2014 review did recommend delay, but importantly noted that Telstra's "entrenched incumbency would make it difficult to find a new operator" [1]. This suggests the review's concern was about lack of competitive alternatives rather than fundamental opposition to the tender. The review stated: "The combination of Australia's broader current transition from a circuit switched voice network to an IP-based telecommunications environment during the next five to ten years, and the expected continued growth of mobile services, presents a significant opportunity to rethink the end to end delivery of the Triple Zero service" [1]. The review sought clarity on these technological directions before tendering—a legitimate planning concern.
Service Continuity
If no alternative bidders were received, Telstra would continue operating the service until 2032 [1]. The tender was not designed to eliminate the current operator but to test market competition and potentially improve the service through competitive procurement.
Source Credibility Assessment
The original source provided (Business Insider Australia) is a mainstream media outlet. The October 2016 article by Simon Thomsen was factually accurate regarding the tender process, though the headline initially suggested "privatisation" (which the article itself corrected). Business Insider AU has a reputation for business and technology journalism and generally maintains editorial standards. The article included appropriate caveats and corrections [1].
The claim's framing as involving "corruption" or impropriety is not supported by the reporting. The article presents this as a policy disagreement (government proceeding despite review recommendation), not corruption or misconduct.
Labor Comparison
Did Labor propose similar tender processes?
Search conducted: Government procurement reform and emergency services policy under Labor governments.
While specific comparable Labor statements on the 000 service tender were not located in available sources, this appears to be a relatively technical telecommunications procurement matter rather than a major partisan policy dividing line. Both major parties have generally supported competitive tendering for government services as a means of ensuring value for money and service quality. Labor governments have historically also pursued procurement reforms and competitive tendering for government services.
The tender process itself—calling for competitive expressions of interest for government services—is standard procurement practice across both Labor and Coalition governments. This is not unique to the Coalition approach to emergency services.
Balanced Perspective
Why the government proceeded despite the review's caution:
The characterization of the government as recklessly ignoring advice is incomplete. The government faced a legal constraint: the existing contract with Telstra required a tender by June 23, 2016 [2]. This obligation predated the Turnbull government and reflected prior government commitments.
Furthermore, the government's position—that competitive tendering would drive service improvement—is a legitimate policy argument. Competitive procurement processes are designed to:
- Test whether the incumbent operator provides value for money
- Identify potential service improvements through competition
- Ensure access to the latest technologies
- Maintain service quality through competitive pressure
The government was simultaneously conducting a separate tender for location technology solutions, indicating its acknowledgment of the technological gaps identified in the 2014 review [1].
Legitimate concerns about the timing:
The 2014 review's recommendation to delay was not irrational. With only two-thirds of calls originating from mobiles, and with GPS-location technology not yet matured as a solution, there was a reasonable argument for waiting until clarity existed about technical requirements before committing to a new operating contract that could extend to 2032 [1].
However, this is a technical planning disagreement—not evidence of corruption or bad faith. The government chose to address technological gaps through parallel procurement (the location technology tender) rather than delaying the operator tender.
The "privatisation" framing:
The original article's initial headline claimed "privatisation," but this was incorrect as the article itself acknowledged [1]. Telstra, while having private shareholders, is a government-linked corporation and the incumbent operator. The government was not converting a public service to private operation; it was conducting competitive procurement among potential operators (including the existing public/semi-public incumbent).
PARTIALLY TRUE
6.5
out of 10
The claim accurately states that the government put the 000 service out to tender and that a government review recommended against proceeding. However, the claim's framing of this as improper or involving "corruption" misrepresents the situation [1]. The government proceeded because it had a legal obligation to conduct a tender by June 2016 under the existing Telstra contract [2]. While the timing could be debated based on the review's recommendation, proceeding with a competitive tender process to potentially improve an essential emergency service through competition is a legitimate policy approach, not a corruption or misconduct issue. The claim also employs imprecise language—"privatisation" was incorrectly used in the original article's headline and was later corrected [1].
Final Score
6.5
OUT OF 10
PARTIALLY TRUE
The claim accurately states that the government put the 000 service out to tender and that a government review recommended against proceeding. However, the claim's framing of this as improper or involving "corruption" misrepresents the situation [1]. The government proceeded because it had a legal obligation to conduct a tender by June 2016 under the existing Telstra contract [2]. While the timing could be debated based on the review's recommendation, proceeding with a competitive tender process to potentially improve an essential emergency service through competition is a legitimate policy approach, not a corruption or misconduct issue. The claim also employs imprecise language—"privatisation" was incorrectly used in the original article's headline and was later corrected [1].
📚 SOURCES & CITATIONS (5)
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1
web.archive.org
Business Insider Australia -
2
huffpost.com
They're after 'expressions of interest to provide enhanced service'.
HuffPost -
3
tenders.gov.au
Tenders Gov
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4
cxcentral.com.au
Good news for Local Australian call centre outsourcers with the Emergency Services Contact Centre tender coming up for grabs soon.
CX Central -
5PDF
Review of the National Triple Zero Operator Terms of Reference
Infrastructure Gov • PDF Document
Rating Scale Methodology
1-3: FALSE
Factually incorrect or malicious fabrication.
4-6: PARTIAL
Some truth but context is missing or skewed.
7-9: MOSTLY TRUE
Minor technicalities or phrasing issues.
10: ACCURATE
Perfectly verified and contextually fair.
Methodology: Ratings are determined through cross-referencing official government records, independent fact-checking organizations, and primary source documents.