For over 10 years, Gunela was National Coordinator of TEDICORE (Telecommunications and Disability Consumer Representation) ensuring that people with disability participated in policy and standards development to improve telecommunications accessibility. During this time she represented consumers on many bodies including the Consumer Representation Committee which established ACCAN. After assisting with the foundation of ACCAN and being on the inaugural staff team managing disability policy and research, Gunela ran GSA InfoComm. Since 2010 she has continued to support ACCAN as an individual member attending many ACCAN events and conferences. She has also undertaken several ACCAN Grants and Research projects which have led to significant policy reforms. Gunela’s commitment to inclusion and equitable access to telecommunications and technology goes back over many years of active work both nationally and internationally. While Gunela has held many auspicious roles, she continues to be involved with ACCAN member organisations including Internet Australia and Women With Disabilities Australia. Gunela is often called upon to review key international policy documents and volunteers her time to participate on international Internet committees and groups. There is no question that she has made a huge contribution to more accessible communications services here in Australia and around the world.

ACCAN OBJECTIVES

From section 3.1 of the ACCAN Constitution:

1. to be a peak body in Australia representing the interests of consumers in relation to communications and telecommunications issues;
   
   
2. to promote the telecommunications consumer objectives of accessibility, affordability and availability to all consumers;
   
   
3. to promote the development of Australian information and communications technology resources;
   
   
4. to develop a strong, coordinated voice for consumers and to represent and advocate on behalf of consumers to Government, regulators and the telecommunications industry;
   
   
5. to undertake research, policy development and education on consumer telecommunications issues;
   
   
6. to facilitate access to and dissemination of information to consumers, consumer representatives and consumer organisations;
   
   
7. to advocate on behalf of consumers on telecommunications laws affecting consumers, law reform, policy development and in relation to industry practices;
   
   
8. to participate in regulatory and co-regulatory activities; and
   
   
9. to contribute to the development of Government telecommunications policy.
   
   

View our Strategic Plan

View our Constitution

Ian Binnie has been an individual member of ACCAN since its inception and also one of the predecessor organisations the Consumers Telecommunications Network (CTN). Ian joined CTN soon after he retired from a long career in the telecommunications industry. He is a great supporter of consumer representation activities in the telecommunications industry.

There are three categories of membership.

• Voting members
• Associate members (Non-voting)
• Life members 

Voting members includes both organisations and individuals – each having one vote. The eligibility criteria for organisational Voting members is that their purposes align with ACCAN's objectives and that they are both non-party political and not for profit. Individual Voting members must also subscribe to ACCAN’s objectives. Voting members can nominate and vote for positions on ACCAN’s board of directors. 

Associate members (Non-voting) are those who are interested in working with ACCAN but are not eligible (or do not wish to apply) for Voting membership. 

Life membership is conferred by a special meeting of ACCAN on someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the area.

Please contact us if you're unsure which type of Membership is best for you.

Members of the telecommunications industry, such as carriers, carriage service providers (CSPs), content service providers and equipment manufacturers, are not eligible for membership. 

We value your voice

ACCAN trusts our member network to inform us about the communications issues that are affecting themselves and/or their members/clients. To effectively advocate for change our lobbying and campaigns need to be evidence based and supported by strong personal stories. We therefore regularly seek input from our members in the form of surveys or occasional telephone calls. If you don’t have the time to participate, we don’t mind but equally welcome contact from our members whenever there is an issue that you’d like us to look at.

Membership pricing

ACCAN membership is renewed yearly and based on the applicant's income.  The fees are structured as follows:

Organisational Membership

Individual Membership

Fee Waivers

Both Individual and Organisational Members and applicants can apply for a fee waiver. If you would like your fees waived please contact ACCAN to discuss further.

Apply

Take the first step today and become a member by calling ACCAN on (02) 9288 4000 or

Apply online

You may also download the application form below and return signed forms to ACCAN.

Download:  ACCAN Individual Membership Application Form82.51 KB

Download:  ACCAN Individual Membership Application Form230.56 KB

Download:  ACCAN Organisational Membership Application Form83.6 KB

Download:  ACCAN Organisational Membership Application Form233.11 KB

Nan Bosler has been both an individual member and an organisational representative of ACCAN on behalf of the Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association (ASCCA). Nan came across from the CTN Board as a founding member of the ACCAN Board 2008-2010. Nan has been a dynamic advocate in the telecommunications policy arena for seniors. Through her work as President of ASCCA she has ensured digital literacy has been high on the list of priorities for all levels of governments and the private sector.

ACCAN’s purpose is to work for “communications services that are trusted, inclusive, accessible and available for all.”  We need the expertise and support of individuals and organisations to help guide ACCAN’s work towards better outcomes for all communications consumers. ACCAN facilitates opportunities each year through our consultative forums and conference for ACCAN Members to help guide our strategic direction. Become an ACCAN Member and have your voice heard!

The benefits of becoming an ACCAN member are:

We put consumers first

We are a community-based, member-driven, not-for-profit, non-party political organisation.

Be heard:

Tell us about your issues and opinions through direct contact with us. We also have expert Advisory Forums, which members can nominate to join, which help us identify consumer issues and strategies to address them. 

Be informed:

Our weekly newsletter will keep you up to date with news and issues affecting consumers and the communications industry. Your membership also means you will receive ACCAN at a Glance which will keep you up to date with our policy, grants and research activities, as well as industry and regulatory news, and tip sheets.

Be equipped:

ACCAN tip sheets and educational resources will help you and your constituents on consumer rights and important issues.

Fight the good fight:

Take part in our campaigns, research and grants projects to help us advocate for consumer rights.

Networking:

Participate in ACCAN Events, including discounted fees for our annual conference, profiling your work and events through our website, find other events and contacts through ACCAN.

Have a say:

Your membership to ACCAN entitles you to nominate and vote for directors on the ACCAN Board.  You can also choose to become a non-voting, Associate Member.

Len has been a lifelong champion of people with disabilities, particularly for the deaf and hard of hearing. He brought that commitment to the early days of the Consumers’ Telecommunications Network (CTN) and then to ACCAN. He has served on the CTN and ACCAN Board in many capacities including as Deputy Chair, Treasurer and member of the Finance and Audit Committee and Performance Committee. He has been a member of the ACCAN Independent Grants Panel since 2020. 

He has brought his unique blend of knowledge and experience in communications and information technology to his involvement in ACCAN, with his portfolio of responsibilities including disability access, emergency services and emerging technologies.  

Gerard Goggin was an inaugural ACCAN Board member appointed in 2008. Since then Gerard has been a member of the ACCAN Independent Grants Panel which assesses applications for the ACCAN grants program.  Gerard has continue to provide leadership on many communications consumer issues including universal service, accessibility issues and mobile telephony. Gerard is currently Wee Kim Wee Professor of Communication Studies at Nanyang Technology University in Singapore.

Johanna Plante joined the ACCAN Board in 2010 and was then elected as Chairperson in 2011, a role she would hold for 6 years. Johanna’s term on the ACCAN Board finished in 2017 after the organisation had successfully been reviewed. During her time as Chair, ACCAN’s profile grew and industry engagement increased. Johanna has worked tirelessly to improve outcomes for consumers with disabilities particularly for Deaf and Hard of Hearing consumers. She was recently on the Minister appointed Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee and she worked hard to ensure the voices of rural, regional and remote consumers were heard.

Holly Raiche has served ACCAN as a Board member for many years. She was a member of the ACCAN Working Group (involved with establishment of ACCAN) and was the Deputy Chair of ACCAN’s Founding Board.

She is a respected communications law scholar and consumer activist who has served Australia’s communications community in national and international roles.

Holly’s contributions extend far beyond her work with ACIF, CTN and ACCAN. Through the Internet Society of Australia, she has been involved in the far wider world of internet regulation and governance.

Her ability, experience and commitment to robust analysis of communications issues has assisted ACCAN and the Board in its’ advocacy for better outcomes for consumers.

Sue Salthouse AM became Chair of ACCAN following its first AGM in 2009 and she was also the chair of the ACCAN Standing Advisory Committee on Disability Issues. She was on the inaugural ACCAN Board in 2008 and completed her term at the end of 2011. Prior to that Sue worked closely with TEDICORE on many communications consumers issues. She was on the Telecommunications Consumer Representation Working Group which developed the ACCAN proposal. Sue co-ordinated the Women with Disabilities Australia (WWDA) Telecommunications Working Group and was the Chair of the Communications Alliance Disability Council. Sue has made major contributions to improving the accessibility of telecommunications for people with disabilities in Australia.

Visit Sue's ACCAN condolence page.

ACCAN is delighted to award Andrew a Life Membership of ACCAN. Andrew has been a life-long champion for people with disabilities, particularly the deaf and hard of hearing.

He has brought that commitment to consumers through his early involvement with ACCAN’s predecessor organisation CTN, and his support for over the years to ACCAN.

He has been an exceptional contributor to ACCAN campaigns and policy work and an outstanding advocate for people with disabilities in a number of CTN and ACCAN fora, and an outstanding advocate on the many committees and panels he has participated in. He brings to ACCAN a wealth of knowledge and experience on people with disabilities, particularly the deaf and hard of hearing that include:

• His involvement in drafting the first disability standard on acoustic coupling;
• His involvement with Print-a-Call and later, establishment of Hearing Connections in the provision of both assistive devices and advice on their use
• His championing the issues of the compatibility of hearing aids with mobile phones and later, of the compatibility of TTYs with the NBN
• His involvement with ACCAN’s Accessible Telecoms Project

ACCAN, its members and so many of the consumers we serve owe a huge debt of gratitude to Andrew for his knowledge, his expertise and his commitment to people with disabilities. We are proud to name Andrew Stewart as a Life Member of ACCAN.

Nigel Waters has been both an individual member of ACCAN and an organisational representative for the Australian Privacy Foundation. Nigel was elected to the ACCAN Board in 2012 and continued as a Director until 2017. He was also a Board member of the Australian Privacy Foundation for many years and represented Privacy International at meetings of the APEC Privacy Subgroup and other international fora. Using the expertise he gained as deputy Australian Federal Privacy Commissioner from 1989-1997, and before that Assistant UK Data Protection Registrar, Nigel has continued to advise and support communications consumer advocacy in Australia for many years. He has represented consumers on numerous Industry Code Working Committees and supported the development of countless ACCAN policy positions and submissions on all kinds of emerging privacy issues. He has mentored consumer representatives and ACCAN policy staff. Nigel has also assisted ACCAN interns with research projects covering topics from digital footprints and surveillance to use of biometric data. Nigel has a long-term commitment to improving the privacy protection for all consumers.

Robin Wilkinson’s contribution to consumer representation in telecommunications has been extensive over a 30-year period. As a founding member of ACCAN, Robin has been a supporter of the organisation since its inception.

Robin was also a member of the Consumers’ Telecommunications Network (CTN) Board from the outset of the organisation’s establishment in 1990. After being Deputy Chairperson for many years, she was elected CTN Chairperson in 2004 and held the position until 2007. Representing Tasmanians with Disabilities, Robin was an active member on the Telstra Consumer Councils and the Optus Consumer Liaison Forum.

In her advocacy on behalf of consumers, Robin focused on accessible communications equipment, emergency services, and priority assistance. Her extensive expertise in consumer education meant she was actively involved in working with the regulator, AUSTEL on an extensive re-numbering initiative of all phone numbers in Australia between 1994-1998.

Robin is also known for her promotion of the rights of people with disabilities in communications, leading to international recognition of the work of the CTN and consumer representation in Australia. She sought to build an understanding of universal design principles and the value of consumer consultation in product design and development. Notably, she was a member of the Australian delegation to the 10^th Global Standards Collaboration (GSC) meeting in Nice, France in 2005 and the 11^th GSC meeting in Chicago, USA in 2006 where she gave presentations to leading engineers and regulators from around the world.

Robin was responsible for ensuring inclusive practices at CTN, and this approach was the basis for the participatory culture that is now a part of ACCAN’s DNA. As a consumer representative Elder, Robin was honoured as a special guest at the ACCAN m-Enabling Conference in 2013 in Sydney. Since then, she has continued to mentor and support ACCAN staff who value her extensive knowledge and history on consumers’ accessibility and telecommunications needs for many years. Her approach of “nothing about us without us” is now embedded in the approach to consumer advocacy in communications in Australia.