ACCAN is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its Standing Advisory Committees, Ms Karin Ness and Ms Catherine Clark. ACCAN has two Standing Advisory Committees: the Standing Advisory Committee on Consumer Affairs (SACCA), and Standing Advisory Committee on Disability Issues (SACDI). The Committees' members provide guidance and expertise on current and emerging communications issues affecting consumers.

Ms Ness, the new representative for SACCA, is a civil law solicitor for the Aboriginal Legal Access Program and a Community Development and Community Legal Education Officer with the Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre (NRCLC) in Lismore. She has worked on a broad range of consumer issues as an advocate for clients seeking legal assistance and conducted community legal education to the broader community, including to young people in the Northern Rivers region in relation to mobile phone contracts and premium services.

Ms Clark will join SACDI. Ms Clark is a representative of Deaf Australia, a member of the Accessible Cinema Advisory Group (ACAG) and the co-ordinator of the Centre of Excellence for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Ms Clark is currently undertaking research about post-school options for Deaf students in Strengthening Pathways.  

ACCAN congratulates the two successful candidates and thanks every one who put forward a nomination. Our thanks and appreciation is extended to outgoing Standing Advisory Committees members, Holly Raiche (SACCA) and David Parker (SACDI), for their commitment and invaluable knowledge over the past two years.

Ms Ness and Ms Clark’s terms commence January 2012 and will run to June 2013.