Optus has been ordered to pay a $100 million fine due to its sales practices that targeted vulnerable customers over several years, culminating in 2023. This penalty comes as the company faces its second crisis involving triple-0 outages in recent years.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) initiated the case against Optus, which is the second-largest telecommunications provider in Australia. The company has acknowledged its involvement in unconscionable conduct, agreeing to the hefty fine.

During the court proceedings, Justice Patrick O'Sullivan of the Federal Court characterized Optus's actions as "extremely serious" and "appalling." He highlighted that many affected consumers were First Nations Australians who were particularly vulnerable.

The ACCC's investigation was prompted by reports from financial counselors who raised concerns about the company's practices. Lynda Edwards, director of First Nations policy at Financial Counselling Australia, expressed skepticism about the impact of the fine. "A $100 million fine is not a lot of money to big companies like Optus," she stated. "What is it going to take for these companies to actually look after vulnerable people in our communities?"

Edwards also pointed out that telecommunications companies in Australia operate with significant autonomy in self-regulating their businesses. The case underscores ongoing concerns about the treatment of vulnerable consumers in the telecommunications sector.