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During the course of our Fair Calls For All campaign some of ACCAN's members and supporters have raised concerns that services for domestic violence survivors are offered on 1800, 1300 and 13 numbers, which are prohibitively expensive to access from a mobile phone.
Read more: Inquiry into domestic violence trends and issues in NSW
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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.
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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.
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The 2011 round of the ACCAN Grants Scheme opens today with $250,000 in funding to support consumer research, representation, or education projects related to communications in Australia. The peak communications group says eligible community organisations, research bodies and individuals looking to fund communications projects can apply for funding of up to $60,000.
Read more: ACCAN Grants Scheme opens with $250,000 for community projects
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The Australian Consumer Fraud Taskforce will launch National Consumer Fraud Week with a warning that scammers can target you anytime, anywhere, anyhow.
Scammers do not stop at anything to target victims, including adopting a personal touch. Watch out for scammers – whether you are answering a phone call, opening mail, online chatting with friends, shopping or even looking for love.
Read more: National Consumer Fraud Week focuses on consumer protection
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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
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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.
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ACCAN, as a Principle Partner of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce during National Consumer Fraud Awareness Week, would like to warmly invite you to attend the launch screening of:
“Internet Scams: how to protect yourself” a consumer education initiative by the WA Deaf Society, funded by ACCAN’s Grants Scheme.
Read more: Cinema screening: National Consumer Fraud Awareness Week
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An ACCAN Position Statement on the National Broadband Network's installation process.
ACCAN is calling on the government to make National Broadband Network (NBN) fibre-optic cable installations automatic unless individual property owners choose to opt out.
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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.
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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.
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The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) and Media Access Australia (MAA) are calling on the major television networks to include comprehensive captioning on digital free-to-air multichannels after new research has found a high level of awareness and use of closed captions – even among those who aren’t hearing impaired.
Read more: TV networks need to tune in to audience’s appetite for captions
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