To improve access for people who need emergency services the mobile telecommunications industry has introduced new procedures to tackle the huge number of non-genuine callers to Triple Zero, who are risking the lives of genuine callers, AMTA Chief Executive Officer, Chris Althaus, said.

“This is a huge issue. The industry estimates of the 12 million annual calls to Triple Zero, 55% or 6.6 million are non-genuine and this is jeopardizing the lives of Australians who need potentially life-saving emergency treatment,” he said.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) this week announced the new industry initiative, which will progressively limit calls from mobile handsets being used to make repeated non-genuine calls to Triple Zero.

Chairman of the ACMA, Chris Chapman, said under the industry initiative, developed in consultation with the ACMA, mobile handsets from which repeated non-genuine calls are made to Triple Zero operators may be blocked across all mobile networks from being able to make calls.

He said progressive steps will be taken to formally warn the owner of the mobile handset before the handset is blocked, in addition to the caller details being provided to police as appropriate.

Mr Althaus told radio 2GB and ABC said the industry would take a number of steps to warn non-genuine Triple Zero callers, counsel and educate them and give them chances to act responsibly and not engage in behavior that posed a threat to others in an genuine emergency.

“But only as a last resort when all else fails, these people would be denied access to the networks to protect people in genuine need of emergency care.

“It is not a case of the boy who cried wolf – people who have repeatedly abused the system will still be able to make emergency Triple Zero calls but no others.”