Optus has reached an agreement with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) regarding unconscionable conduct and inappropriate sales practices that occurred between August 2019 and July 2023. The proposed agreement includes a $100 million penalty and an enforceable undertaking to remediate impacted customers. This penalty now awaits approval from the Federal Court.
Optus CEO Stephen Rue issued a sincere apology to all affected customers, stating that the misconduct was “inexcusable and unacceptable” and that the company “failed these customers.” He acknowledged that Optus should have acted more quickly when the misconduct was first reported.
The inappropriate sales conduct involved:
- Sales to 24 vulnerable or disadvantaged consumers
- Sales to consumers at Optus stores in Darwin
- Inappropriate referral of debts to third-party debt collection agencies stemming from sales at a store in Mt Isa
Optus is refunding impacted customers through a remediation approach developed with financial counsellors and industry partners to ensure fairness.
In response to these issues, Optus has implemented significant changes within the company. These include executive and senior leadership changes, disciplinary actions (including termination of responsible retail sales staff), structural accountability changes, and new sales incentives focused on quality control and customer experience.
Additionally, Optus has committed to paying $1 million to support digital literacy initiatives for First Nations Australians. To better protect customers, Optus is enhancing frontline staff training, implementing more robust credit check processes, and introducing a new network coverage check tool. Optus is also hiring financial counsellors to offer community-based support and guidance during the remediation process.
Customers seeking more information or support can contact Optus’s specialist customer care team at 1300 082 820.
