ACCAN has recommended that the ACMA work towards a system that automatically provides location information to Emergency Service Operators when consumers call from a landline, mobile or VoIP phone.
Australia was reviewed for the first time under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva in January 2011. The UPR is a peer review by all 192 United Nations Members States. Over 50 countries made statements about Australia’s human rights record and 145 recommendations were made.
Here, ACCAN outlines practical suggestions of how the Australian Government can implement UPR recommendations.
An ACCAN submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications.
In this submission ACCAN informs the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications that the NBN has the potential to contribute to Australia in a significant way. In order for the NBN to be most beneficial to Australians, ACCAN believes that there are a number of key enabling policies that need to be in place relating to ubiquity, computer literacy and applications for people with a disability.
Read more: Inquiry into the role and potential of the National Broadband Network
Submission by ACCAN to the Senate Committee Inquiry into the National Broadband Network Companies Bill 2010; and Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (National Broadband Network Measures - Access Arrangements) Bill 2011.
On the whole, ACCAN supports the speedy passage of these Bills. It desirable that NBN Co operate within a strong regulatory framework such as these Bills provide, and that this framework be in place before regular services to consumers start to be delivered over the NBN beyond first and second release sites.
Submission by ACCAN to the Convergence Review Secretariat regarding the Convergence Review Terms of Reference.
ACCAN argues the Convergence Review Committee should look at ways to maximise inclusion for people with disabilities in accessing the broadest range of content, services and technologies.
The 2011 Convergence Review is an Australian Government initiative. It is in response to trends in technology that are reshaping the media landscape from how it looked in the 1990s, which is when Australia's current media and communications regulatory frameworks were established.
Submission by ACCAN to the Telephone Information Services Standards Council (TISSC) Code of Practice Remedies Review
The TISSC is an independent regulatory body that sets standards in the form of a Code of Practice, for the message content and advertising of premium rate telephone information services, including numbers beginning with the prefixes 190 and 01972.
ACCAN strongly supports TISSC and the important work that it has carried out in both handling complaints relating to the TISSC Code of Practice (the Code) and in monitoring industry compliance with Code rules. We believe that the existing levels of complaint and accompanying definitions are not sufficiently clear and differentiated from one another.
Submission by ACCAN to the Australian Communications Media Authority regarding the 'Structure of Australia’s telephone numbering plan' consultation.
This submission addressed questions raised regarding geographic numbering. The views in this paper should be considered alongside ACCAN's recent super-complaint about charges incurred from mobile calls to 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers.
Read more: Structure of Australia’s telephone numbering plan
A submission by ACCAN about the National Disability Strategy.
Articles 9 and 21 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disability articulate the role of communications in making sure that people with disability enjoy human rights, freedoms and respect like other people. The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) believes that access to information and communication services are an essential tool for all people with disability to be able to participate to the fullest extent possible in Australian society.
Read more: Connecting Us All: The Role of the National Disability Strategy
A submission by ACCAN to the Australian Communications and Media Authority regarding the Telecommunications (Emergency Call Service) Amendment Determination (2009).
ACCAN believes that, by mandating the provision of location information for emergency calls from mobile phones, the Amendment is likely to result in better outcomes for the many people in Australia who use a mobile phone to make emergency calls.
Read more: Telecommunications (Emergency Call Service) Amendment Determination 2009
Superfast Broadband Access Services (SBAS) are networks that provide broadband that is capable of achieving 25Mbps or greater download speeds. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is inquiring whether there is a case to regulate these networks. Premises served by one network can limit consumers' services and number of providers.
ACCAN responded to the ACMA's review of the Captioning Standard for live broadcasts. We recommended that the ACMA undertake research to establish current and possible metrics for accuracy levels and synchronisation of captions with the video for live broadcasts on Australian television. ACCAN asserts that this will allow stakeholders to make informed recommendations on how the ACMA should evaluate the quality of captions for live television broadcasts.
The Productivity Commission is looking at Australia's intellectual property system to make sure there are the right incentives for innovation, investment and the production of creative works. The aim is that these protections for intellectual property owners' don't unreasonably stop consumers benefiting from innovation, competition, investment and access to goods and services.
Read more: Productivity Commission Inquiry into Australia's Intellectual Property Arrangements
ACCAN has made a submission to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) 2016 stakeholder consultation on "Access to the Internet for persons with disabilities and specific needs". Drawing from the ongoing work and research we undertake to promote full participation of people with disability in our increasingly connected society, we have made a number of specific recommendations on how access to the internet can be increased for people with disability.
Read more: Access to the internet for persons with disabilities and specific needs
In 2014 the Vertigan panel made 53 recommendations on regulatory and market structure matters. The proposed legislation addresses recommendations made in relation to improvements in the access regime and nbn's authorised conduct. ACCAN expressed concern over three parts of the legislation.
ACCAN has contributed to the Department of Communications and the Arts review of the Captioning Regulatory Framework. The review proposes a number of deregulation options for caption compliance reporting; emergency warning captioning reporting and related issues. ACCAN has reiterated our long-standing position that broadcaster compliance reporting is essential for consumer protection. ACCAN has opposed removing compliance reporting, called for increased requirements for captioning of emergency warning broadcasts as well as calling for increased captioning across all free-to-air channels.
New obligations on telecommunication infrastructure providers are proposed by the Department of Communications and the Arts. This is part of the policy for telecommunications services in new development. The obligations would ensure that new developments, not served by nbn or Telstra, would be served by a network which meets set standards. Furthermore information on the network would need to be made available via an online map for property buyers and developers to use.
ACCAN made a submission to the Department of Communications and the Arts (DoCA) consultation on the Copyright Amendment (Disability Access and Other Measures) Bill 2016 (the Act). We are broadly supportive of the proposed changes, as they overcome some of the barriers faced by people with a disability – and the organisations who provide services to them – in obtaining material in accessible formats.
The Federal Government is planning to amend the Privacy Act to introduce a mandatory data breach notification scheme. The scheme would mean that all government agencies, and entities with an annual turnover of more than $3m, must notify everyone whose personal information was disclosed if they suffer a serious data breach. A data breach would be 'serious' if it results in a 'real risk of serious harm' to an individual or individuals. The scheme would allow people whose personal information has been compromised by a breach to take steps to lessen or avoid potential harms, such as financial loss or identity theft.
Read more: Submission on Privacy Amendment (Notification of Serious Data Breaches) Bill 2015
Industry lobby, Communications Alliance, has proposed a number of changes to the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code compliance regime. ACCAN believes the changes may lead to a number of positive changes which should both improve the efficiency of Communications Compliance and provide greater flexibility to smaller suppliers. However, we encouraged the industry group take further steps to address the lack of a publically available, useful performance metrics.