Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
This project progresses research funded by ACCAN (2021) which analysed digital inequalities amongst public housing residents. That project revealed the pivotal role neighbourhood centres play in digital skill acquisition and troubleshooting for people who face barriers to being digitally included. This project analyses work and learning practices of neighbourhood centre staff and students and will create insights into 1) best practice in personalised digital skill training 2) barriers to digital access that inform need for skill acquisition and troubleshooting. Findings will assist neighbourhood centres to optimise their teaching and assist telecommunications companies to address barriers that impede access.
Read more: In progress! Social infrastructure for digital skills development
Social Media and Content Manager
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, ACCAN, is Australia’s peak body representing communications consumers.
We are looking for an experienced Social Media and Content Manager who is creative, innovative, and takes strong initiative. In this role, you will play a crucial role in shaping our online presence, engaging with our audience, and building the profile of the organisation. You will be responsible for developing and implementing social media and content strategies that align with our organisation’s goals. Your communication skills will help translate our key policy priorities into engaging and informative content.
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: 
ACCAN CST - Concessional Broadband - Summary Report - April 251021.56 KB
Executive Summary
Telecommunications sales practices must prioritise the best interests of consumers over commercial gain. The obligations in the Telecommunications Consumer Protection (TCP) Code for carriage service providers (CSPs) to ensure responsible sales are inadequate and do not provide appropriate community safeguards to communications consumers.
Peak communications consumer body ACCAN has expressed concern following today’s news that Telstra has been fined for failing to maintain access for more than 12 hours to the 106 emergency call service used by Australians with hearing and speech impairments.
Read more: Telstra emergency service outage ‘a near-miss' - with lessons to be learnt
ACCAN recently submitted to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sports and the Arts’ (the Department) consultation on the design features of the National Regional Roads Australia Mobile Program (National RRAMP).
The opinion piece below was written by ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett for the Canberra Times and Australian Community Media. It was originally published on 7 June 2025.
Virtually every man, woman and teenager has a mobile phone. Ninety-eight per cent of adults use mobile phones for calls.
Read more: The billion-dollar industry with scant consumer protections
Write comment (0 Comments)The following e-commerce policy is offered as an outline to the e-commerce facilities available through this site.
List of services offered by ACCAN
- Organisational membership to ACCAN valued between $0.00 and $275.00 annually (inc. GST).
- Individual membership to ACCAN valued between $0.00 and $33.00 annually (inc. GST).
- Registration for the ACCAN National Conference. This service is not currently offered through accan.org.au. The approximate value will be $120 – $900 (inc. GST).
Note:
These services are currently offered by ACCAN (July 2011-present) but are not intended to limit the services offered in the future. Prices are reviewed by ACCAN executives and Board on an annual basis and are subject to change.
Refund policy
If ACCAN membership is not approved by the Board, all monies will be refunded to the applying organisation or individual within 14 business days of the Board’s decision being made available to the applicant.
Attendees of the ACCAN National Conference will have the option to cancel their registration. If registration is cancelled within 14 days of the event no refund will be offered, otherwise a full refund will be given.
Delivery / Returns / Postage
There are no delivery, returns or postage requirements relating to ACCAN’s e-commerce activities. ACCAN endeavours to make all membership applications a paperless process for applicants. For any items posted by the applicant to ACCAN in relation to membership, the cost of postage is paid by the applicant.
Invoices
Invoices are automatically generated by our system and will be clearly identifiable as being issued by ACCAN. If you require any further information or copies of invoices please contact ACCAN via our Contact page.
Credit card details
All credit card payments made to ACCAN will be kept confidential by our e-commerce providers (Bendigo Bank and E-Way) in accordance to industry standards and regulations. If a credit card payment is made via mail or telephone, details will be kept confidential and held securely by ACCAN. ACCAN will endeavour to make any purchase appearing on your credit card statement identifiable as being made to ACCAN.
Prices
All prices quoted by ACCAN will be in Australian dollars and include GST.
Contact details
ACCAN can be contacted on all e-commerce matters using the details available on our Contact page.
Australian small businesses provide employment for around 4.8 million people. As most small businesses rely on telecommunications services to be able to do business, it is essential these services be available, reliable and affordable. When a small business cannot access a broadband connection or make phone calls, business proceses can become difficult. When a small business operator waits in a call centre queue or is transferred between different customer service representatives trying to have a fault resolved, they are not only losing time, but money. This impact on productivity and turnover affects not only the small business owner, but its employees and customers.
ACCAN has produced guides that will provide small business consumers with the tools to assist them to:
- Understand their rights as a phone and internet consumer
- Be aware of the important features of telecommunications services and products to help them to choose products that best suit their business needs.
- Understand available complaint mechanisms
- Learn ways to get the most out of communications services they rely on
Research Reports:
- Informing Small Business: Examining fixed phone and broadband products
- Small Business Telecommunications Service Use and Experience
Welcome to the ACCAN employment page.
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, ACCAN, a not-for-profit organisation, maintains an accessible work environment and encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, persons with disabilities and people from culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse backgrounds.
ACCAN is Australia’s peak body representing the interests of all consumers in communications issues. ACCAN is an important and independent consumer voice promoting the accessibility, quality of service, affordability and availability of communications services for all Australian consumers with particular concern for vulnerable consumers whose needs are underrepresented.
- High profile consumer body
- Communications industry
- Diverse, interesting role working in vibrant NGO
- Supportive work environment
- Sydney CBD location with easy access to public transport
The Australian Communications Consumer Action network (ACCAN) is pleased to announce the 2015 Apps For All Challenge, sponsored by Telstra.
About
Every minute 47,000 apps are downloaded worldwide, but millions of Australians may be missing out on the digital revolution if apps are not accessible.
The Apps For All Challenge is back in 2015 to award the outstanding apps which are accessible to all Australians.
An accessible app is designed with the largest number of people in mind – including people with disability and older Australians. Accessibility is not only crucial for the almost 1 in 5 Australians living with some form of disability, but it also means developers can target millions more customers who were previously locked out of the app market.
In honouring Australia's most accessible apps, the Apps For All Challenge will raise awareness and encourage Australian developers to be world leaders in accessible mobile technology. The winning apps will be announced at the ACCAN National Conference in September 2015.
Winners in each category will receive a cash prize from Telstra and promotion through Telstra social media.
The categories
Nominations will be accepted in the following categories:
- Most accessible mainstream app
- Most innovative app designed for people with disability or older Australians
- Most accessible children's app
- Most accessible game app
What exactly makes an app accessible?
Accessibility means that an app can be used by the most people possible without the need for modification. Many people have, or develop with age, impairments related to vision, hearing, cognition or mobility. Apps which address these needs in their design and operation are more accessible than apps which do not have any consideration for users' differing abilities.
For example, if an app uses video, the video should have captions for people who are Deaf or hearing impaired. For users who are blind or vision impaired, control buttons should include an "alt tag" to alert users of the button's purpose.
Apps incorporating the following features will be reviewed more favourably:
- Ease of use – including ease of download and installation
- Market gap – apps which fill a market gap for one or more user groups
- Value for money – apps which provide good value for money and do not require people with disability to pay more for the same functionality
- Universal design – the app is accessible across all user groups
- Availability – available across multiple operating systems
Accessibility guidelines for developers
- World Wide Web Consortium's mobile accessibility guidelines: http://www.w3.org/WAI/mobile/
- Apple accessibility guidelines: https://developer.apple.com/accessibility/
- Android accessibility guidelines: http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/accessibility/index.html
Things to remember
- Only Australian developed apps are eligible
- An app can only be nominated for one category
- Nominated apps must be designed for one or more of the following mobile operating systems; iOS, Android, Windows
- Existing apps can be nominated
- The nominated apps will be evaluated by an independent panel of Australian accessibility experts. The panel will shortlist the best three apps in each category, with the winning apps announced at the ACCAN National Conference in September 2015
- Nominated apps should conform to ACCAN's values and vision
How to nominate an App
Anyone can nominate an app. Nominations can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call ACCAN on 02 9288 4000 / TTY 02 9281 5322.
Nominations close on 15 June 2015. If you have any questions please email us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
