- Details
For general enquiries email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For membership enquiries email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For executive meeting requests please email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For grants scheme enquiries email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Details
The Australian Human Rights Commission has heeded the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN)’s call for no Australian to be left offline, with the release of the Human Rights and Technology Final Report
The report, presented to the Attorney General, details the Australian Human Rights Commission’s support for a concessional broadband rate for low-income households to make internet access more affordable and improve digital inclusion.
“The past year has demonstrated just how essential it is to be online,” said ACCAN CEO, Teresa Corbin. “With Melbourne in the midst of its latest lockdown, and families forced back into remote work and schooling, we need to act now to make sure that our most vulnerable have access to a reliable, affordable broadband product.”
Read more: Australian Human Rights Commission supports ACCAN’s call for No Australian Left Offline
- Details
ACCAN recently responded to the Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications inquiry into the Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (2021 Measures No.1) Bill 2021. This Bill proposes amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992, including in relation to subscription television captioning rules.
In our submission ACCAN stated that the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 remains the most appropriate place for captioning requirements to be set out. We recommended broader amendments to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 to embed the same levels of access features (including captioning, audio description and Auslan interpreting) across all subscription, video on demand, commercial free-to-air and national broadcasters. We made a similar recommendation in response to the Media Reform Green Paper.
Read more: ACCAN response to Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (2021 Measures No.1) Bill 2021
- Details
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications released the Media Reform Green Paper: Modernising television regulation in Australia in December 2020 for consultation.
The Green Paper proposed that:
- Australian broadcasters and free-to-air television networks may be able to make a ‘one-time transition' to a new broadcaster's licence with reduced tax and content quotas on multichannels.
- In exchange, those who take up the ‘new licence' must agree to transmit content on reduced radiofrequency spectrum, with surplus spectrum to be auctioned off to the telecommunications industry and proceeds used to funds to finance Australian screen content production and local news.
- Large Subscription Video-on-Demand (SVOD) services and Advertising Video-on-Demand (AVOD) providers may be forced to invest into Australia's screen industry.
- Details
Infrastructure Australia recently undertook an industry consultation for its Regional Strengths and Gaps project. ACCAN provided a response to this consultation.
In our response ACCAN highlighted the Wamboin Communications Action Group as a strength in terms of their success in improving connectivity in their area. This group is now providing guidance to other communities across Australia with similar aspirations. Similarly, ACCAN’s Community Consultation Guide provides information to communities to put together a business case for investment via the Mobile Blackspot Program.
Read more: Infrastructure Australia's Regional Strengths and Gaps project
- Details
ACCAN has developed a service to assist seniors and people with disability to find phones, tablets, accessories and apps that can help them communicate with others. This service is called Accessible Telecoms.
- Details
Over the last ten years, faster internet speeds have dramatically impacted the way that Australians consume media. Many Australians have switched from free-to-air television (FTA) to subscription video on demand services. These include streaming services like Netflix, Stan, and Kayo and broadcast video on demand (FTA catch-up services, or BVOD). According to the ACMA, 77% of Australian households now have at least one SVOD service, compared to 61% in 20171.
With viewers switching from free-to-air to online content, there have been many questions raised about how the traditional media industry can sustain itself in a world where advertising dollars follow audiences; with less people tuning in to traditional media, these outlets are less attractive to advertisers. Regional newspapers and television channels are also closing because of loss of advertising revenue. To help keep Australia’s media sector alive, the Government needs to find a way to modernise television regulation.
With the expansion in dependency on data services and roll-out of 5G Mobile, the government is also looking at how they manage the limited spectrum used for telecommunications and broadcasting.
To encourage input and debate from interested parties about how the media laws should be changed, the Government released a Green Paper in November 2020 with proposals for new ways to fund Australian media and how it operates.
Read more: Media Reform Green Paper – Modernising Television Regulation in Australia
Write comment (0 Comments)- Details
What media reforms are proposed in the Green Paper?
Spectrum reform
The key reform proposal relates to technical changes in the way broadcasting content might be delivered. Australian broadcast television is delivered using ‘spectrum’, and there is only a finite amount of spectrum available. Currently, all of the available spectrum is being used for free-to-air television broadcasting.
However, new digital broadcasting technology means less spectrum can now be used to deliver the same broadcasting services. The Government would like television broadcasters to work together to use less spectrum because:
- If enough broadcasters agree to broadcast on less spectrum, there will be more free spectrum available to be used for other purposes. One of these potential purposes is to reallocate that spectrum to improve telecommunications networks in currently underserviced areas.
- Because the amount of spectrum available is finite, it is a valuable asset. The Government could auction off this spectrum for a profit, which it says could then be re-invested. A fund could be established to support more regional news and more Australian drama, documentary and children’s content.
- For example, the profit could be invested in more local news services in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia, and/or local television and film content production. The Green Paper doesn’t specify how much of the profit would be invested in local and regional news, or Australian content production.
Read more: Background to the Media Reform Green Paper
Write comment (0 Comments)- Details
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.
- Details
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.
- Details
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.