Home

Our policy priorities are broad subject areas which identify the focus of our policy work for 2018-19. ACCAN's mission is to represent consumers and the public interest, with particular emphasis on the needs of consumers for whom the market is not working.

Our policy priorities were developed in close consultation with ACCAN members, and informed by our knowledge and analysis of the communications market and market trends.

The mobile phone is arguably more important than the fixed phone line for personal and business communications in regional and remote Australia, but users without reliable mobile coverage are missing out on this communications revolution. ACCAN has advocated strongly on this issue for a number of years and believes that the Australian Government has a vital role to play in improving mobile coverage in regional and remote Australia.

Cloud computing has the potential to transform the way individual consumers and small businesses store and use data, potentially saving time, money and effort. You may already be using a cloud computing service like Hotmail or other web-based email services. However, cloud computing involves risks for consumers that must be carefully managed.

This position statement has been issued by peak disability and consumer groups regarding the two proposed mobile emergency services for people who are Deaf, hearing-impaired or with speech impairment or complex communication needs (CCN). We stand together in calling for a simultaneous implementation of bothan SMS emergency service and an emergency service provided via a smartphone application.

 An ACCAN Position Statement on the National Broadband Network's installation process.

ACCAN is calling on the government to make National Broadband Network (NBN) fibre-optic cable installations automatic unless individual property owners choose to opt out.

Policy position banner image featuring a mother and daughter using laptops with a background of optic fibre 

ACCAN's broadband position statement, entitled Our Broadband Future, was launched at the ACCAN National Conference 2010 in Melbourne. ACCAN defines four principles that should guide broadband policy.

Guage showing Megabits per secondBroadband plans are commonly advertised on headline speed claims which may only be achievable in ideal test conditions and are not what consumers should expect in real world everyday use. Claims are qualified with an elusive list of factors that can affect performance, but this is difficult for consumers to engage with or apply to their service. This issue is heightened with nbn and the promise of faster and better technologies and services.

Female farmer using smartphoneThe Regional, Rural, and Remote Communications Coalition (RRRCC) is a collective of 21 organisations dedicated to improving connectivity in the bush. Through awareness campaigns and direct advocacy, the RRRCC amplifies the voices of communities in regional, rural, and remote Australia.

Australians want affordable, reliable internet for all.

New research commissioned by ACCAN and conducted by Essential Research reveals strong public support for a concessional broadband service to help low-income households stay connected during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

  • 69% of Australians support the introduction of a concessional broadband service.
  • Support is highest among:
    • Low-income households (82%)
    • People with disability or long-term health conditions (75%)
    • Those in serious financial difficulty (81%)
    • Retirees (77%)

With broadband now essential for accessing education, employment, health care, and government services, the findings reinforce calls for government action to ensure no Australian is left offline.

Download the research snapshot here: pdfACCAN CST - Concessional Broadband - Summary Report - April 251021.56 KB

Read more about ACCAN's No Australian Left Offline policy.

Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) commissioned research on how consumers experience their billing arrangements. 

This research has found that some of the payment options that are offered by telecommunications providers to their customers are not suitable for people in vulnerable circumstances.

Some of the key findings of the research include: 

About us

ACCAN in Action