Optus CEO Apologizes for Emergency Line Outage Linked to Four Deaths, Rejects Calls to Resign

Optus CEO Stephen Rue has publicly apologized to Australia’s parliament for a nationwide emergency number outage that prevented thousands of people from reaching the “000” emergency line, a failure linked to four fatalities. Despite mounting pressure, Rue stated he will not step down, emphasizing the need for leadership stability during a crucial transformation phase at the Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel)-owned company.

Rue, who took over in 2023 following a major cyberattack and a network-wide outage, said at a Senate hearing that “another change of leader at this time is not what Optus or our customers need.” He argued that further disruptions could set back the company’s recovery efforts and ongoing improvements to network resilience and customer service.

Optus revealed that the September 18, 2025 outage occurred due to human error during a routine firewall upgrade, which prevented traffic from being diverted before the system locked. The incident left many unable to contact emergency services, sparking public outrage and government scrutiny over the telco’s crisis management and accountability.

The company also announced that CFO Michael Venter and Chief Information Officer Mark Potter will step down in early 2026, signaling further executive reshuffling amid ongoing challenges.

Optus has been under intense political and regulatory pressure since the 2022 cyberattack that exposed millions of Australians’ personal data, prompting sweeping reforms in cybersecurity laws and data protection standards. The following year, a nationwide network blackout caused by a software error left millions without internet or phone access for hours.

Rue assured lawmakers that Optus is implementing stricter safeguards and improved protocols to prevent future failures, pledging continued transparency and investment in network reliability and cybersecurity.