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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-02-09 Daily Xml
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Optus Data Breach

Ms HUTCHESSON (Waite) (14:35): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Can the minister update the house on the government's negotiation with Optus regarding the Optus data breach?

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, members on my right! The minister has the call. Minister, you have the call.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:35): Vincent, I am on your side. Don't listen to them. You're doing a great job. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

When Optus announced in September 2022 that there had been a significant cyber attack that compromised millions of its customers' personal information, including driver's licences and proof of age cards, the South Australian government acted quickly and assertively to assist. We assisted South Australians to regain security of their identity by encouraging all Optus customers whose licence details were compromised to seek a replacement licence through Service SA and we waived the usual $20 fee. At the time, we announced our intention to seek reimbursement from Optus and any taxpayer liability. In December last year we informed the public that our negotiations with Optus had been successful and Optus did indeed say 'yes' to the South Australian taxpayer.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Thank you, I'm here all week. I am pleased to inform the house that Optus followed through and the payment has now been made. We must remember the added burden on Service SA staff, particularly in September and October, was immense. With the increased number of transactions, foot traffic and temperature of customers in long, long queues—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned for the first time.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —Service SA customer centres attendance skyrocketed, including at the Mitcham centre. The member for Waite, who asked the question, would recall bitterly that the centre was one of the centres that the former Liberal government had pegged for closure.

On Friday 7 October, we recorded our peak volume. Over 14,000 South Australians attended our Service SA centres—over three times the average daily customer numbers—and 11,000 licence number changes were processed that day, which is an incredible number considering the previous average number of licence number changes was approximately 300 a year.

Overtime for extended hours of Service SA centres was a necessary measure, given the sheer quantity of additional transactions beyond normal day-to-day operations. I am pleased to inform the house that it wasn't just licence number changes and replacement licence fees that were reimbursed: reimbursement also included other expenses such as overtime payments.

The reimbursement by Optus, coupled with Service SA raising the bar when it comes to public service, is an excellent outcome to an unfortunate event. It shows the dedication and resilience of our Service SA staff, the value that they have to our local community and our citizens, their trusted service, their dedication, how hard they worked.

I want to share with my parliamentary colleagues an incredible thankfulness to all Service SA staff who worked so hard to assist so many people who were feeling so anxious about having their identity stolen. They worked hard and tirelessly. I would also like to thank the members in this chamber who stood in the queues with people wanting to change their licences, who handed out cookies and muffins, who went in and checked on staff to make sure that they were okay. Those members know who they are, and I thank them again for doing that incredibly difficult work that they did.

Our Service SA staff are gems, and why anyone would want to close a Service SA office is beyond me. Perhaps, as part of the review in the five-year plan they have come up with, they can work out why it is they thought it was a good idea.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Before I call the member for Schubert, I call the member for Chaffey to order. Member for Schubert.

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