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Weekly WebNews
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IN THE NEWS: Government commits to scams reimbursement laws; Westpac, Optus launch new anti-scam technology; and ACCAN calls for mandatory First Nations representation
MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO: Welcome to our new-look WebNews - ACCAN's weekly digest of current events in Australian communications. We are changing the way we deliver our news and welcome your feedback (media@accan.org.au) on the design or content of the email.
Scams top this week’s news items with a commitment by the Assistant Treasurer, Stephen Jones, to compensate scam victims whose banks have failed to meet obligations. This is progress, but ACCAN and other consumer advocates will continue to push for UK-style mandatory reimbursement for scam losses. It is also noteworthy that Optus have formed a collaboration with Westpac to launch a new scam security feature – something that will support consumers to avoid banking scams.
ACCAN has also welcomed the announcement by the Prime Minister and Communications Minister that more than 15,000 Australian families have now been connected with free internet as part of the School Student Broadband initiative - an excellent result in narrowing the digital divide for families who currently have no access to broadband at home.
I hope you will continue to find WebNews informative and useful.
Kind regards,
Carol Bennett
Chief Executive Officer
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At a speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones committed to establishing laws which ensure scam victims receive compensation in circumstances of ‘inaction, negligence, or failing to meet an obligation’. At present, scams victims are only reimbursed (on average) 2 to 5% of money lost. ACCAN and other consumer advocates will continue to call upon the government to establish stronger, mandatory reimbursement laws to protect consumers. [The Guardian]
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… As pressure for mandatory reimbursement grows…
 Linked above is a video from The Project, which has featured over several programs an Australian couple who lost their life savings to a bank scam. Scammers purporting to be from Bendigo Bank first made contact with the couple via a phone call and text message, which arrived in a thread of genuine text messages previously sent by Bendigo. Hosts of The Project made the argument for mandatory reimbursement, including Waleed Aly in an opinion piece across the Fairfax newspapers (paywalled). Consumer Action Law Centre’s Tania Clarke did an excellent job outlining the necessary consumer protections to combat the growing number of scams. [The Project]
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 Optus and Westpac have collaborated to launch a scam security feature which offers a glimpse into potential future anti-scam measures. With support from Optus, incoming calls from Westpac to their customers will feature verification markers from both Westpac and Optus, alongside a reason for the call. To enable the feature, customers must install and log-in to the Westpac app. [Broker News]
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In a recent submission to the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group (FNDIAG), ACCAN supported the development of a First Nations digital inclusion roadmap to assist government, industry and First Nations communities address the digital divide. We also recommended the Advisory Group explore pathways to establish mandatory First Nations representation on government, regulatory and industry boards. [ACCAN]
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ACCAN welcomes today’s joint announcement by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Michelle Rowland that 15,000 families are now receiving free internet connections via the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI). Established in February last year, the SSBI plays an important role in narrowing the digital divide for families who currently have no internet access at home. ACCAN looks forward to seeing 15,000 additional families fill remaining places in the scheme. [Prime Minister's Office]
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The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, has urged small, farming and family businesses to be aware of the potential impacts of the shut-down of 3G networks on their operations. As ACCAN has also stressed, the shutdown will affect more than just phones and handheld devices. EFTPOS terminals, security systems, asset tracking tools, surveying instruments and environmental monitoring equipment may also be affected. Ahead of the 31 August (Telstra) and 1 September (Optus) shut-down dates, Mr Billson urged small businesses to check if their devices and equipment will be affected and, if so, upgrade them as soon as possible. [ASBFEO]
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In 2023, TPG announced that all customers with TPG, iiNet, Internode and Westnet email accounts would have their services migrated to an external provider, The Messaging Company. While the first year of service was provided for free, customers have been notified of a new pricing structure if they wish to keep their accounts active. Depending on the storage option selected, email customers can expect to pay between $30 and $95 on an annual basis, or a higher overall fee charged monthly. ACCAN encourages consumers to shop around to find the offering which meets their needs for the best price. [Channel News]
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ACCAN had the pleasure of attending the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) Federal Conference in Sydney from 24-25 July. It was a great opportunity to hear from an excellent line-up of speakers and learn from ICPA members about important communications issues their communities are facing. You can find more information about key communications related motions and discussions linked above. [ICPA]
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ACCAN Board nominations opening soon
Help us make a positive difference for communications consumers by nominating to join the ACCAN Board! Nominations to join ACCAN's Board will open on 12 August and close 27 August. You must be a financial ACCAN member or part of an ACCAN member organisation to nominate. If you are interested in nominating for the Board but are not yet a financial member, please submit your application by Friday 2 August to meet membership processing timelines. For members who are yet to renew for this financial year, please do so prior to nominations opening. [ACCAN]
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ACCAN members will have recently received renewal notices by email. Thank you to all members for your continued support of ACCAN and its work for communications consumers. If you are not yet a member - an ACCAN Membership gives you access to informative and educative resources, ACCAN events, and regular Advisory Forums. Please contact our membership team should you have any questions. [ACCAN]
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WebNews #668
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Tel: (02) 9288 4000
Email: media@accan.org.au
If you are Deaf, or have a hearing impairment or speech impairment, you can contact us on 02 9288 4000 through your preferred National Relay Service call number or access point.
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Government commits to scams compensation laws…