Commonwealth of Australia

Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005

Australian Communications and Media Authority (Development of Technical Standards for Domestic Digital Television Reception Equipment) Direction No. 1 of 2009

I, STEPHEN MICHAEL CONROY, Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, make the following Direction under subsection 14(1) of the Australian Communications and Media Authority Act 2005.

Dated 21 October 2009.

  STEPHEN CONROY 

Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy

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1        Name of Direction

This Direction is the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Development of Technical Standards for Domestic Digital Television Reception Equipment) Direction No. 1 of 2009.

2        Commencement

This Direction commences on the day after the Direction is registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments. 

3        Definitions

In this Direction:

ACMA means the Australian Communications and Media Authority;

Act means the Broadcasting Services Act 1992;

Parental lock capabilities means a technical capability that alone, or in conjunction with any other capability on domestic digital reception equipment, restricts a person from viewing a television program of a particular classification unless the correct personal identification number (PIN) code is entered first.

Domestic reception equipment has the same meaning as domestic digital television receiver, a term defined by section 5 of the Radiocommunications Act 1992;

Supply has the same meaning as in the Trade Practices Act 1975.

4        Direction

I direct the ACMA to exercise its power under section 130B(1) of the Act, as soon as practicable, to determine technical standards to ensure that domestic reception equipment used for receiving any or all digital television broadcasting services or datacasting services have parental lock capabilities.

5        Matters to be considered when determining a technical standard

I direct the ACMA to consider the following matters during the course of determining a technical standard about child lock capabilities:

(a)          whether to exempt any particular class of domestic reception equipment from the technical standards determined pursuant to this direction;

(b)          whether to request an industry code under Part 9B of the Act that deals with electronic program guides with respect to the industry activities of providing a commercial television broadcasting service or a national television broadcasting service.;

(c)          whether to request an industry code under Part 9B of the Act that deals with domestic reception equipment labelling schemes in relation to the industry activity of importing, manufacturing, or supplying domestic reception equipment that is capable of receiving any or all digital television broadcasting services or datacasting services.