FEDERAL Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce said the Australian Government has introduced legislation to change the Do Not Call Register so it will only be necessary to place a phone number on the Register once, as opposed to re-registering after eight years.

“This change means households will no longer have to remember to renew their registration and it will help them avoid the frustration of being disturbed by unwanted telemarketing calls at dinner and other times,” Mr Joyce said.

Governments should use regulation as a last resort and always look for a simpler, more straightforward answer to make life easier for Australians,” he said.

There are now 9.3 million current registrations with around 1 million numbers added every year.

More than two-thirds of Australian households have listed their number on the Register, demonstrating the popularity of this Howard Government initiative. 

Where a householder registered on the Do Not Call Register receives a call from a telemarketer, they can report this to the Australian Communications and Media Authority – who can investigate and take action including issuing infringement notices and hefty fines.

Some organisations have an exemption and are able to make unsolicited calls these include charities, educational institutions and political parties. Phone numbers that are primarily used for business purposes may not be registered however any fax number can be listed on the Register.

The initiative is part of the October 2014 Red Tape Repeal Day and will save $3.4 million a year over 10 years in administrative costs.

Residents of the New England seeking more information should visit www.donotcall.gov.au or call 1300 792 958.”