Media Release

New telecommunications consumer action network

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today welcomed the selection of the founding board of a new peak telecommunications consumer body, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN).

“This is an important step in the process towards a stronger unified consumer voice. Strong and effective consumer representation is paramount for a vibrant and competitive telecommunications market,” Senator Conroy said.

“The Rudd Government is committed to the long-term interests of end-users and ensuring consumers have a strong voice in market developments that affect them.”

The Government announced at the Consumer Representation Stakeholder Forum in May 2008 that it would support the establishment of a new national peak body to provide telecommunications consumers with a stronger unified voice. Since then the Government has supported consumer stakeholders to work together to form such a body.

“The selection of ACCAN’s founding board members will provide a driving force for the establishment of a more powerful voice in the development of telecommunications policy and industry processes,” Senator Conroy said.

The founding board members (see full list below) represent a range of interests from different sectors of the community and have the experience and expertise necessary to drive consumer issues forward.

“I welcome the spirit of cooperation and collaboration shown by the disability, small business, general consumer, internet, regional, rural and remote, low-income and Indigenous sectors in supporting the formation of ACCAN,” Senator Conroy said.

“I congratulate the working group on the significant progress it has made in establishing ACCAN to date and look forward to considering the report it has recently provided on consumer representation arrangements going forward.”

ends

Date: 6 August 2008
Contact: Tim Marshall 0408 258 457

The founding ACCAN Board members are:

• Nan Bosler, President, Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association, and current Director of Consumers’ Telecommunications Network (CTN).
• Len Bytheway, Chief Executive Officer ACT for Kids and Director (Deputy Chair) of CTN.
• Aaron Davis, Chief Executive Officer, Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network.
• Gerard Goggin, Professor of Digital Communication, and Deputy Director Journalism and Media Research Centre, University of New South Wales.
• Catriona Lowe, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Action Law Centre and Chair of Consumers Federation of Australia.
• Kyle Miers, Manager, of National Information and Projects with Deaf Children Australia, President of Deaf Australia, and Founding member of Australian Federation of Disability Organisations.
• Holly Raiche, Executive Director, Internet Society of Australia, Director of CTN.
• Sue Salthouse, Director, Didactic Enterprise, Chair of the Communications Alliance Disability Council.
• Alex Varley, Chief Executive Officer, Media Access Australia.