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Protection of submarine cables
Submarine telecommunications cables link Australia to global communication networks and are vital to the national economy. Due to their size and location on the seabed, these cables are vulnerable to damage from activities such as the anchoring of ships, some types of fishing, dumping of materials, dredging and mineral exploration.
Schedule 3A of the 
Telecommunications Act 1997 establishes the regime for the protection of submarine communications cables.
The legislation allows the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to declare submarine cable protection zones in Australian waters for submarine cables of national significance. Within these protection zones, activities that could damage submarine cables are prohibited or restricted.
To date the ACMA has declared two protection zones adjacent to Sydney and one protection zone adjacent to Perth.
The legislation also provides for the ACMA to issue permits for the installation of submarine cables either:
- within submarine cable protection zones, or
- outside of submarine cable protection zones (other than in coastal waters).
Additional information about the regulation of submarine cables including protection zones and permit requirements is available from the Submarine telecommunications cables page on the ACMA website
In 2010 the ACMA conducted a review of the first five years of operation of the submarine cable protection regime, in accordance with clause 89(1) of Schedule 3A of the Telecommunications Act 1997. The report of that review was tabled in Parliament on 18 November, 2010.
Media release: ACMA reports on submarine cable protection regime
The ‘Report on the operation of the submarine cable protection regime’ concluded that the regime is working effectively and is achieving its policy objectives, and made several recommendations for improving the operation of the cable protection regime. The Government will consider the recommendations carefully and consult with stakeholders on the next steps.
The report is available at the ACMA website on the Review of submarine cable regulation page.