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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).
Read more: Scams Prevention Framework – exposure draft legislation
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A report from the Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman (TIO) of a 14.6% reduction in consumer complaints over the past year is unlikely to be an indication of improved satisfaction with communications services. The reduction in complaints is more likely to indicate that telco consumers are increasingly giving up on the complaints process.
Over 50% of consumers report having at least one problem with their communications service in the last year. This fact alone should temper any industry claims that a reduction in complaints is a good outcome. The disconnect between customer’s experiences of their telco provider and a reduction in the level of complaints suggests the telecommunications complaints mechanism is not working or not fit for purpose.
Read more: A reduction in telco complaints may signal that consumers are giving up
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The government’s draft Scams Prevention Framework, set to be put to Parliament later this year, will make a difference in the fight against scams. However, by not securing mandatory reimbursement for scam victims, it falls short of what is needed.
ACCAN – the peak body for Australian communications consumers – welcomed the draft scams prevention legislation earlier this month alongside other consumer advocates despite some caveats, including the absence of a mandatory reimbursement requirement on large corporations.
Read more: Onus to stop scams must be on large corporations – not consumers
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The opinion piece below was written by ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett for the Canberra Times and Australian Community Media about draft anti-scams legislation. It was originally published on 27 September 2024.
Australians lost $2.7 billion to scams in 2023. These are scams we know about - the true losses are likely to be far greater.
The federal government has recently published draft scams prevention legislation (the Scams Prevention Framework), which will be put to the Parliament this year.
Read more: The government's scams prevention legislation has one critical flaw
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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.
Read more: Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group Interim Report
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On 13 September 2024, ACCAN, the Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE and Super Consumers Australia welcomed an announcement from the Albanese Government that consultation on a draft bill - the proposed Scams Prevention Framework - will start today. The joint statement can be found below.
“I congratulate Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones and the Albanese Government for pushing ahead with these scam reforms, and imposing tough obligations on industry to protect consumers, I want to thank him for this important work,” Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin said.
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ACCAN recently submitted to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) public inquiry on the access determinations for the voice interconnections services discussion paper.
Read more: Public inquiry on the access determinations for the voice interconnection services
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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: 
ACCC DTCS FAD Discussion Paper201.26 KB
Download: 
ACCC 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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Changes to Triple Zero rules announced by Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland today are an important step to enhance public safety.
ACCAN – Australia’s peak body for communications consumers – welcomes today’s announcement by the Minister that several new requirements will apply to mobile carriers in relation to the Triple Zero service.
The range of changes included in a ministerial direction to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will amend the Emergency Call Service Determination.
Read more: New rules for essential Triple Zero services a win for public safety
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Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network Limited (ACCAN) will be held via Zoom, on Thursday 26th September 2024 from 4pm.
Date: Thursday 26 September 2024
Time: 4pm (AEST)
Venue: Virtual Meeting via Zoom. Please register here by 24 September 2024
Read more: Notice of Annual General Meeting
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Medical authorities must take urgent action to ensure that users of up to 200,000 medical device are aware of the health threat posed by the looming 3G network shutdown.
ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett said the recent delay to the shutdown of the 3G network was to be applauded, but there was growing concern that people were not being warned about the impact on medical devices.