ACCAN is pleased to announce we held the ACCAN 2023 Communications Consumer Congress at the Aerial UTS Function Centre in Sydney on Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th September 2023.
The Congress was headlined by keynote addresses from Gerard Brody and Commissioner Angelene Falk. Panel discussions featured leading community voices, academics and industry figures, and ACCAN's executive team updated guests on our recent work and emerging issues. A transcript and audio of the event will be available on the following page shortly.
To those who attended, thank you for joining us at the Congress as we strive to achieve ACCAN’s vision of communications services that are trusted, inclusive, accessible, and available for all.
Tuesday 12th September 2023
Welcome Morning Tea
Frontiers in Consumer Harm - Consumer Forum
This Forum panel discussion brings together a selection of consumer champions, community advocates and researchers to set out emerging frontiers in consumer harms. The panel will outline new forms of technology-enabled consumer harm and speak to opportunities to design consumer protections that will prevent harm into the future.
Following this panel, forum attendees will be given the opportunity to provide their feedback and input on these challenges to inform ACCAN’s policy and advocacy work.
Samuel Kininmonth (Facilitator) 
Policy Adviser, ACCAN
Gerard Brody
Chair, Consumers’ Federation of Australia
Rebecca Glenn
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Women’s Economic Safety (CWES)
Jasmine Opdam
Acting Team Leader, Financial Abuse Service NSW, Redfern Legal Centre
Dr Evana Wright
Senior Lecturer, Director of Academic Programs, Faculty of Law University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Connectivity in the Community - Consumer Forum
In this panel discussion, we will explore the challenges and opportunities that exist regarding improving access and affordability of communications services for people renting and living in social, affordable, and public housing, and those experiencing homelessness.
Following this panel, forum attendees will be given the opportunity to provide their feedback and input on these challenges to inform ACCAN’s policy and advocacy work.
Dr Amelia Radke (Facilitator)
Senior Policy Adviser, ACCAN
John Engeler
Chief Executive Officer, Shelter NSW
Ash Fowler
Policy Officer, Combined Pensioners Superannuants Association of NSW (CPSA)
Dr Justine Humphry
Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, Digital Cultures Program, Department of Media and Communications,
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The University of Sydney
Elle Morrell
Community Development Manager, Carlton Neighbourhood Learning Centre (CNLC).
David Spriggs
Chief Executive Officer, Infoxchange
Next steps – Forum wrap up
Dr Gareth Downing
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, ACCAN
Consumer Forums conclude
Presenters:
Tanya Karliychuk
Director of Operations, ACCAN
Laetitia Kwan
Grants and Research Assistant, ACCAN
Participants:
Dr Justine Humphry
Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, Digital Cultures Program, Department of Media and Communications,
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The University of Sydney
Dr Evana Wright
Senior Lecturer, Director of Academic Programs, Faculty of Law University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Dr Genevieve Wilkinson
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
Dr Anne Wiggins
Executive Chair, Digital Literacy Foundation
Each year, ACCAN funds a number of projects through the ACCAN Grants Program. In this session, we discuss the program, the application process and hear from past successful grantees about their experiences.
Download: 
Transcript Day 1 - 15:30-16:00 - ACCAN Grants and Research Overview30.05 KB
Download: 
Transcript Day 1 - 15:30-16:00 - ACCAN Grants and Research Overview64.59 KB
Video example of ACCAN Grants Project: [view on Youtube]: Telcos for All
Presentation: Congress Grants Overview420.39 KB
Congress Networking Welcome Event
Aerial UTS Function Centre, Level 7 / 235 Jones Street, Ultimo NSW 2007
Please join us for conversation, drinks and canapes in the foyer.
Wednesday 13th September 2023
Arrival morning tea
Introduction & housekeeping
Andrew Williams
Chief Executive Officer, ACCAN
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 10:00-10:05 - Introduction and Housekeeping51.81 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 10:00-10:05 - Introduction and Housekeeping124.17 KB
Welcome to Country
Uncle Allen Madden
Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council
Uncle Allen Madden of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council Welcomes delegates to Country to commence the congress.
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1005-1010 - Welcome to Country50.07 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1005-1010 - Welcome to Country117.55 KB
ACCAN Chairperson’s welcome
Prof Julian Thomas
ACCAN Chairperson
ACCAN Chairperson, Prof Julian Thomas, provides introductory remarks and welcomes delegates to the conference. Julian reflects on the changes at ACCAN over the past year and speaks to the organisation’s role in representing consumer interests to industry, government, and regulators.
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1010-1015 - ACCAN Chairpersons welcome50.61 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1010-1015 - ACCAN Chairpersons welcome119.06 KB
Minister for Communications (pre-recorded) address
The Hon Michelle Rowland MP
Federal Member for Greenway
ACCAN is very pleased to welcome the Hon. Michelle Rowland MP, Minister for Communications and Federal Member for Greenway, to deliver a pre-recorded address to open the conference.
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1015-1030 - Minister for Communications pre-recorded address51.53 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1015-1030 - Minister for Communications pre-recorded address.pdf124.16 KB
Keynote speech – Gerard Brody
Chair, Consumers’ Federation of Australia
Gerard Brody, Chair of Consumers’ Federation of Australia, and champion of the consumer movement will open the conference with his keynote address on consumer protections.
The keynote will focus on opportunities to strengthen protections for communications consumers, including through the establishment of an unfair trading prohibition.
Download: Day 2 - 1030-1100 - Gerard Brody Presentation1004.8 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1030-1100 - Keynote speech Gerard Brody61.31 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1030-1100 - Keynote speech Gerard Brody171.42 KB
Consumer protection and enforcement panel
Nerida O'Loughlin PSM
Chair and Agency Head, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
Catriona Lowe
Deputy Chair, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)
Cynthia Gebert
Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO)
In this panel discussion about contemporary issues in consumer protection, key leaders from the enforcement and dispute resolution space will speak to what their organisations are doing to support and advance the interests of consumers.
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1100-1200 - Consumer protection and enforcement panel70.17 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1100-1200 - Consumer protection and enforcement panel222.66 KB
Keynote speech - Angelene Falk
Australian Information Commissioner and Privacy Commissioner
Commissioner Falk will speak about the OAIC’s recent research on community attitudes to privacy, the OAIC’s privacy priorities, and set out opportunities to strengthen privacy protections through reform of Australia’s privacy laws.
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1200-1230 - Keynote speech - Angelene Falk60.17 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1200-1230 - Keynote speech - Angelene Falk167.53 KB
Shadow Minister for Communications (pre-recorded) message
The Hon. David Coleman
Federal Member for Banks
ACCAN is very pleased to welcome the Hon. David Coleman MP, Shadow Minister for Communications and Federal Member for Banks, to deliver a pre-recorded message.
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1330-1340 - Shadow Minister for Communications pre-recorded message51.62 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1330-1340 - Shadow Minister for Communications pre-recorded message123.23 KB
Risk and resilience in communications panel
Gareth Downing (Facilitator)
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, ACCAN
Cameron Scott
National Network Emergency Manager, nbn Co.
David Haig
Head of Field Operations, Optus
Sanjay Rai
Technology Risk Product Owner, Telstra
Luke Coleman
Head of Government and Corporate Affairs, Vocus
In this panel discussion about telecommunications risk and resilience, key experts from academia, industry and the consumer sector will consider the issues telcos are experiencing and the actions they are taking to advance the resilience of their infrastructure, products and services.
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1340-1430 - Risk and resilience in communications panel68.04 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1340-1430 - Risk and resilience in communications panel209.38 KB
Accessible Telecoms presentation
Presented by the Accessible Telecoms Team
Dr Wayne Hawkins
Director of Inclusion, ACCAN
James O'Brien
Accessible Telecoms Assistant, ACCAN
Jennifer Parry
Accessible Telecoms Project Assistant, ACCAN
ACCAN’s Director of Inclusion Wayne Hawkins leads a demonstration of the Accessible Telecoms project. This ground-breaking resource is a nation-wide telecommunications information service which provides information on the accessibility of mainstream and specialised telecoms equipment.
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1430-1445 - Accessible Telecoms presentation53.66 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1430-1445 - Accessible Telecoms presentation134.62 KB
Afternoon tea break
The future of regional communications (Universal Service Obligation - USO) – The age of LEOS
Prof. Julian Thomas
ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S Centre)
Sally Brindal
Federal Communications Portfolio Leader, Isolated Children's Parents' Association (ICPA)
Chris Young
General Manager Rural Affairs, National Farmers Federation
Jennifer Medway
Manager, Regional Tech Hub
This panel discussion will highlight the opportunities and risks of emerging technologies to deliver connectivity for rural, regional, and remote communities.
The panel will traverse the economic opportunities, educational, health, entertainment and community services that may be able to be delivered and enhanced via low-earth orbit satellites.
Closing remarks
Andrew Williams
Chief Executive Officer, ACCAN
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1550-1555 - Closing remarks48.58 KB
Download: Transcript Day 2 - 1550-1555 - Closing remarks118.77 KB
Accessible MS Word version of Congress Program
Download: Communications Consumer Congress Program [Accessible]3.79 MB
ACCAN is pleased to announce our sponsors for the 2023 Communications Consumer Congress
Major Sponsors
Accessibility Sponsor
Delegate Sponsors
Associate Sponsors
Morning Tea Sponsor
Refreshment Sponsor
Sponsoring the 2023 Communications Consumer Congress
Sponsorship of the Consumer Congress provides the opportunity to:
- Promote your organisation on a national scale to a wide range of delegates including consumers, telcos, content producers, government, regulators and the media.
- Demonstrate your organisation’s support for ACCAN’s work – ensuring communications services are available, accessible and affordable for all consumers.
- Maintain a high profile in the communications sector.
- Network and build key relationships with consumer, industry and government representatives.
- Highlight the practical ways you are helping consumers to be confident in the connected world.
ACCAN will work with all sponsors to make sure you get the most out of your sponsorship. We welcome you to contact our Event Coordinator, Kate Evans (via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), to discuss how we can assist you in getting the maximum return on your investment in the 2023 Communications Consumer Congress.
Download: Communications Consumer Congress 2023 - Sponsorship prospectus562.34 KB