Submissions


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ACCAN recently submitted to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee to comment on the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 [Provisions] (the Bill).

ACCAN supports the Bill as a first step to modernising Australia’s privacy protections. However, Australian consumers have poor privacy protections by international standards and further reforms are needed now. ACCAN urges the Government to address all the remaining recommendations from the Attorney-General’s privacy report to ensure that Australians receive the same minimum privacy protections enjoyed by the rest of the world.

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ACCAN recently submitted to the Future Skills Organisation (FSO) consultation on Bridging the Digital Divide: Digital Accessibility and Inclusion.

The submission recommends the FSO considers options to ensure:

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ACCAN recently provided a joint submission, together with CHOICE and Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA), to the Treasury’s consultation on Revitalising National Competition Policy (NCP).

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ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) consultation on proposed changes to the ECS Determination and the Draft Telecommunications (Emergency Call Service) Amendment Determination 2024 (No.1).

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ACCAN recently commented on the Treasury’s Scam Prevention Framework – exposure draft legislation (SPF).

ACCAN’s submission sets out our concerns with respect to fundamental incentive problems in the SPF which make it impractical and unworkable and concerns regarding the interaction of the SPF and the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth).

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ACCAN recently commented on the Department of Industry, Science and Resources’ proposals paper for introducing mandatory guardrails for AI in high-risk settings (the paper).

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving and broad technology that, with the right regulatory settings, can provide material benefits for consumers. AI can offer tailored services for consumers and potentially drive efficiencies in business, lowering the cost for consumers. However, as the paper notes, AI also carries risks of consumer harm through discrimination and data breaches.

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ACCAN recently submitted to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee’s consultation on the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024 (the Bill).

In ACCAN’s view the Bill provides a foundation for tackling misinformation and disinformation on digital communications platforms. However, the Bill should be expanded to explicitly include measures which address consumer harms, such as minimum dispute resolution standards, which could be expanded to ensure appropriate complaints do not fall through the gaps.

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ACCAN recently submitted to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, The Environment and Waters’ Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group (CEMAG).

ACCAN supports the CEMAG’s identification of the ‘right to repair’ as an activity the government should consider pursuing in the product design and use space.

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ACCAN recently commented on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Domestic Transmission Capacity Service (DTCS) Final Access Determination (FAD) discussion paper.

ACCAN’s submission argued that the economic regulation of DTCS is critical to supporting the delivery of telecommunications services across Australia. ACCAN recommends that: 

  • DTCS services should be priced by reference to a benchmarking approach as the cost and complexity associated with cost model-based methodologies are likely to outweigh the benefits of the additional precision of these pricing approaches.
  • The pricing factors for the subsea component of DTCS services to Tasmania should be reviewed to ensure that these factors are relevant and remain cost reflective.
  • DTCS services to Christmas Island should be benchmarked against domestic and international prices for transmission services provided over subsea cables.
  • The range of capacities covered by the DTCS FAD should be determined by reference to contemporary commercial products.
  • The regulated price for non-recurrent charges should be benchmarked against current commercial prices.

ACCAN supports the duration of the DTCS FAD proposed by the ACCC, expiring 31 March 2029.

Download: pdfACCC DTCS FAD Discussion Paper201.26 KB

Download: docxACCC DTCS FAD Discussion Paper81.55 KB

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ACCAN recently submitted to the Department of Social Services’ consultation on the Review of Australia’s Disability Strategy. 

ACCAN notes that accessible communications and technology are central to the success of the Australian Disability Strategy (ADS).

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ACCAN recently submitted to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO)’s consultation on its proposed amendments to the Terms of Reference (ToR) 2024.

Our submission supported:

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ACCAN recently submitted to the Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee’s consultation on the 2024 Regional Telecommunications Review. 

Since the last Regional Telecommunications Review, regional, rural, and remote (RRR) communities’ experiences of natural disasters and the cost-of-living crisis have highlighted the importance of affordable, reliable, and resilient communications services.