Submissions


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ACCAN recently submitted to the Communications Alliance review of Industry Code C525:2017, regarding the Handling of Life Threatening or Unwelcome Communications.

After consulting with member organisations, ACCAN is not aware of any issues affecting consumers in relation to this Code, and as such, has recommended this Code continue unchanged.

ACCAN has made a submission to the Department of the Treasury’s Exposure Draft Designation for the Telco Sector CDR.

As previously submitted, ACCAN supports the inclusion of the Telco sector in the Government’s CDR regime.

We were pleased to note that many of our previously recommended data sets were included in the Designation. However, we believe that the CDR will provide greater consumer benefit when additional data sets related to broadband speed and reliability are able to be included in the regime.

ACCAN recently responded to a consultation on revising the ACCC’s Broadband Speed Claims Industry Guidance (the Guidance). The ACCC are considering changes to reflect recent developments in the market including the growing importance of upload speeds and the growth of alternative fixed wireless access networks.

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications is reviewing 5 legislative instruments which determine how payphones are provided across Australia. The instruments cover payphone location, installation, removal, performance, consultation and complaint handling. In response to the review, ACCAN argued that the instruments should be remade and refined to provide greater consumer protections and to meet the needs of local communities.

ACCAN recently responded to a consultation which sought views on the instruments under Part 20A of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (the Act). Part 20A of the Act requires real estate developers to install fibre-ready ‘pit and pipe’ infrastructure in proximity to buildings prior to the developer selling or leasing the building. The requirement to provide fibre-ready pit and pipe, which facilitates fibre installation in new developments (with exemptions to the requirement captured in a 2011 Instrument and a 2021 Instrument) is now under review.

ACCAN has recently responded to a consultation which sought views on nbn Co’s proposal to develop a quality assurance mark (the Mark) for network extension devices. The aim of the Mark is to assist the agricultural sector in reaching its productivity potential via digital technologies, specifically through extending home-based NBN connections beyond the home.

ACCAN has recently made a submission to the Treasury on its Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS), which explores possible changes to the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The changes are aimed at helping consumers access remedies (e.g. a repair, replacement, or refund) when a product or service doesn’t work the way it should. The Consultation RIS also explores ways to help retailers get compensation from manufacturers when a product is faulty. ACCAN supported some of the changes proposed in the RIS, including the introduction of incentives to make sure retailers always provide a remedy when consumers are entitled to one.

ACCAN has recently submitted to the telco regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), about renewing regulations that require Telstra to record and share information about their payphone services with the ACMA. ACCAN supported the remaking of the Record Keeping Rules. In addition, we argued that records about payphone performance should be routinely audited, and payphone performance information should be publicly available.

ACCAN recently submitted to the telco regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), on regulations that allow the ACMA to issue infringement notices (fines) when telcos don’t follow certain rules. ACCAN’s submission supported the remaking of the rules, and suggested changes to improve consumer safeguards and the way in which infringement notices are issued.

ACCAN has recently outlined our views on priorities that need to be addressed in the Federal Government’s upcoming 2022-2023 Budget. Our Pre-Budget Submission for 2022-2023 identifies a need for Federal investment in issues relating to the affordability, availability, reliability, and accessibility of communications goods and services.

ACCAN recently made a submission to the Attorney-General’s second round consultation on Australia’s Privacy Act (1988). The discussion paper made a number of proposals developed in consideration of the feedback to the first round of consultation in late 2020. ACCAN had made a comprehensive submission to this first round, and we were pleased to see that many of the proposals put forward in the second round positively reflected our positions.

ACCAN’s Indigenous Steering Committee recently submitted to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs’ Inquiry into how the corporate sector establishes models of best practice to foster better engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers. The Chair of ACCAN’s Indigenous Steering Committee, Dr Heron Loban, and ACCAN’s Director of Policy, Una Lawrence, subsequently appeared at one of the Inquiry’s public hearings to expand on comments made in the submission.