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The Optus cyber attack is being blamed for a jump in the number of complaints about telecommunications companies.

Complaints from small businesses and households rose 9.9 per cent from October to December, according to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

About half of the 17,903 complaints related to mobile services, which is an increase of about 19 per cent.

Complaints about internet services jumped by more than 10 per cent at the end of 2022 but dropped by more than 20 per cent for landlines.

More than 10 million people were caught up in the Optus data breach, when cyber criminals stole identifying information such as names, contact details, Medicare records and passport data.

Many mobile customers reported non-financial losses including stress and humiliation in the months following the hack.

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert said there were also concerns about termination fees, customer service and failing to cancel a mobile service.

"The complaints from this period of October to December really highlight the problems people are experiencing because of this breach," Ms Gebert said.

She added her office was working with Optus to ensure consistent approaches were being taken when resolving concerns.

Complaints about Optus rose by more than 39 per cent to 6436 over the quarter.

There were more than 500 complaints about iiNet after it also suffered a cyber attack and email outage, an increase of almost 21 per cent.

Concerns about TPG and Vodafone also increased but dropped for 10 other major telcos.

Meanwhile, Telstra has vowed to fix problems with a system designed to ensure customers with life-threatening medical conditions receive extra assistance.

The telco is required to provide the service as a condition of its carrier licence.

A probe by the Australian Communications and Media Authority found Telstra failed to send applications for the program or other relevant information to 260 customers.

It also failed to initiate emergency medical request procedures on five occasions and did not follow proper testing protocols for one customer who had repeated issues.

The company admitted it could not find paperwork relevant to applications on more than 700 occasions.

The telco could be taken to court if it fails to implement a new system.

© AAP 2023

Treasurer Jim Chalmers remains confident Australia will avoid a recession despite forecasts showing a slowing of the economy.

Following the Reserve Bank's decision on Tuesday to lift the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.35 per cent, Dr Chalmers said the rise would be felt immediately by mortgage holders.

The Reserve Bank also indicated more interest rate hikes would be needed over the months ahead to curb inflation.

While the treasurer said it would still remain to be seen whether the rates would increase more, he admitted the central bank's language on possible increases was clear.

"The decisions for the future haven't yet been taken, and I accept that the board's language yesterday was pretty straightforward in that regard," Dr Chalmers told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

"I'm not going to predict or pre-empt, I'm not going to second guess ... there are signs that inflation has begun to moderate in our economy."

The interest rate rise was the ninth in a row by the Reserve Bank, with the cash rate now at 3.35 per cent, the highest level since September 2012.

The treasurer said the rise was anticipated, and while it would impact on the economy, Australia would avoid a recession.

"The expectation of the Treasury forecasters is higher interest rates, combined with difficult global; conditions will slow our economy considerably, but they don't expect at this point a recession here in Australia," he said.

Dr Chalmers said no one in the cabinet had approached him on calls to remove Philip Lowe as Reserve Bank governor.

However, Dr Lowe's term in the role is up in September, although the treasurer did not indicate whether he would seek a replacement.

He said a decision would likely be made later in the year on the leadership of the central bank.

Australian Banking Association chief executive Anna Bligh said she hoped the predictions of further rate rises would not eventuate.

"Banks are acutely aware that for some of their customers, this is getting very, very difficult. They're in many cases already in discussions with those customers about how they can help," she told ABC Radio.

"This is going to really stretch them further. We expect that there are about 800,000 people coming off a fixed loan contract to a bank to a variable contract over the next 12 months."

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said he had written to the association, calling for banks to not pass on the interest rate rise to households.

"(Banks) are very quick to raise rates but not very quick to cut them. We're going through challenges. Family budgets around the state are under pressure," he told Nine's Today program.

However, Ms Bligh said the calls would largely go unheeded.

"Federal governments don't control interest rates. And it's tempting in politics to criticise that," she said.

© AAP 2023

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has stood by his government's handling of inflation in the wake of a further interest rate rise.

The Reserve Bank on Tuesday moved to increase the official cash rate for the ninth time in a row.

Interest rates now stand at 3.35 per cent, the highest level since 2012.

Dr Chalmers told parliament that despite the interest rate rises, the government was working to curb inflation.

"The best way to address inflation is through cost-of-living relief, dealing with supply-chain pressures including in the workforce, and managing the budget responsibly," he told parliament on Wednesday.

"The inflation challenge is the defining feature of our economy in 2023, just as it was in 2022. That makes it the government's major focus."

The Reserve Bank indicated further rate hikes would be needed in coming months to reduce inflation, which stands at 7.8 per cent and well clear of its two to three per cent target.

Despite the high inflation levels, Dr Chalmers earlier said the country was still likely to avoid a potential recession.

"The expectation of the Treasury forecasters is higher interest rates, combined with difficult global conditions will slow our economy considerably, but they don't expect at this point a recession here in Australia," he told ABC Radio.

While the treasurer said it would remain to be seen whether rates would rise further, he admitted the central bank's language on possible increases was clear.

"The decisions for the future haven't yet been taken, and I accept that the board's language yesterday was pretty straightforward in that regard," Dr Chalmers said.

"I'm not going to predict or pre-empt, I'm not going to second guess ... there are signs that inflation has begun to moderate in our economy."

Calls for Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe to resign from the role have intensified following the interest rates decision.

Dr Lowe's term is set to expire in September, although the treasurer said no decision had yet to be taken on whether he will serve another term.

Nationals leader David Littleproud has called for a new governor to be appointed.

"There's probably an opportunity for a refresh, but that's a matter for the government to make that determination," he said.

"(The RBA) need to make sure they get the settings right and understand how the economy's running at a granular level - how families are feeling this."

Australian Banking Association chief executive Anna Bligh said she hoped the predictions of further rate rises would not eventuate.

"Banks are acutely aware that for some of their customers, this is getting very, very difficult. They're in many cases already in discussions with those customers about how they can help," she told ABC Radio.

"This is going to really stretch them further. We expect that there are about 800,000 people coming off a fixed loan contract to a bank to a variable contract over the next 12 months."

© AAP 2023