Proposed changes to class licences - consultation 06/2021

On 10 June 2021, the ACMA made the Radiocommunications (Class Licence) Amendment Instrument 2021 (No. 1). The changes to class licences took effect on 17 June 2021.

Following consultation, we removed the proposed change to the Radiocommunications (Overseas Amateurs Visiting Australia) Class Licence 2015. We will consider the most appropriate EME compliance requirements for domestic and overseas visiting amateurs as part of our Review of non-assigned amateur licensing arrangements.

On 17 December 2020, the Radiocommunications Legislation Amendment (Reform and Modernisation) Act 2020 (the Modernisation Act) received Royal Assent, amending the Radiocommunications Act 1992 (the Act). The provisions of the Modernisation Act are due to come into force on 17 June 2021.

The reforms implemented by the Modernisation Act include the replacement of Part 4.1 of the Act with a new technical regulation framework. This new framework, premised on equipment rules, will expand the ACMA’s regulatory options, granting us more flexibility to maintain safeguards while reducing the compliance burden on manufacturers and suppliers.

When this new technical regulation framework starts, the ACMA’s power to make standards will be replaced with the power to make equipment rules. To ensure a smooth transition between regulatory regimes, the Modernisation Act includes transitional arrangements that will retain the current standards as equipment rules.

We are proposing to amend the relevant class licences to include references to equipment rules, and are also taking the opportunity to consult on our proposal to harmonise how our electromagnetic (EME) regulatory framework applies EME emission limits to class-licensed radiocommunications transmitters.

A notice about these proposed changes has been published under section 136 of the Radiocommunications Act 1992 in the Government Gazette.

We invite comments on the issues and proposals set out in our consultation paper and draft instrument by COB, Friday 9 April 2021.

Use the ‘Upload a submission’ button at the top of this page to send us your views.

Submissions by post can be sent to:

The Manager

Spectrum Licensing Policy Section

Australian Communications and Media Authority

PO Box 13112

Law Courts

Melbourne VIC 8010

If you have a question about this consultation, please email spectrumlicensingpolicy@acma.gov.au. 

We have published a range of consultations and materials related to the Modernisation Act:  

Changes to radiocommunications equipment rules

Radiocommunications reform information paper

Accredited persons scheme