Dear M/s Dolan

Thank you for your email of 7 April 2004 to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Status of Women, Senator the Hon Kay Patterson, regarding your concerns about Pregnancy Counselling Australia's listing in the White Pages. Senator Patterson has asked me to reply on her behalf.

The Office of the Status of Women has sought advice from Sensis Pty Ltd about its policies on including listings in its information pages. Sensis advised that it makes no judgements when it comes to including listings on the 24-Hour Services page. It lists any entry submitted for inclusion by an organisation provided that it meets the entry criteria set out in its White Pages® and Yellow Pages® Information Pages Supplementary Policy and Rules.

The criteria state that in order for an organisation to qualify for a listing on the 24-Hour Services page, the organisation must provide written confirmation that it:

* offers a crisis handling service which provides direct help or counselling to the general public;
* offers a telephone service that is permanently operated with a person in attendance, 24 hours a day, every day of the year;
* is contactable on the proposed number by the people who live within the area that the relevant directory covers;
* is located within the area that the relevant directory covers, or be able to adequately service the relevant directory area; and
* has a phone number that does not attract call charges higher than the cost of a local call i.e. mobiles and STD numbers are not permitted.

We have been advised by Sensis that Pregnancy Counselling Australia satisfies the criteria to be included in the 24-hour services page.

The listing as it appears in the current directories is as follows:

Pregnancy Counselling Australia
Pregnancy termination alternatives and post termination counselling...

1300 737 732

Sensis reserves the right to remove listings where, in its opinion, the information is misleading or deceptive. Therefore, you may wish to forward your concerns to Sensis at the following address:

Robin Werth
Sensis Pty Ltd
181 - 189 Victoria Parade
COLLINGWOOD VIC 3066

Thank you for taking the time to write to Senator Patterson. I hope this information is of assistance to you.

Yours sincerely
(signed for the purpose of electronic transmission)
Kerry Flanagan
First Assistant Secretary

12 May 2004