Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

DEPUTY LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE SENATE

A stronger voice for consumers

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, welcomes the commitment from consumer representatives to establish a peak telecommunications body representing the diversity of consumer interests.

Senator Conroy and telecommunications consumer stakeholders met today to discuss ways to make consumer representation in telecommunications policy making more effective.

“Telecommunications consumers face an environment of continual technological change, globalisation, evolving market structures and new business models,” Senator Conroy said.

“We need well-informed consumers to make well-informed product and service choices and I heard a lot of very interesting views today from a range of stakeholders from consumer representatives, industry and other government bodies.

“Addressing consumer issues is a challenge but the first step to tackle it will be to improve current consumer representation strategies to give consumers a stronger unified voice.

“Working together to empower consumer representation and to improve the interface between consumer groups, industry, and strengthen the self-regulatory regime will result in better outcomes and better informed consumers.

“Better informed consumers will result in better outcomes for industry.”

Date: 1 May 2008

Contact: Tim Marshall 0408 258 457