ACCAN Archives - Consumers' Federation of Australia

15 January , 2025

Joint Submission Urges Law Reform and Mandatory Industry Action

This is a joint submission made on behalf of:• Consumer Action Law Centre• CHOICE• The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network• Financial Rights Legal Centre• Super Consumers Australia• Financial Counselling Australia• Westjustice• Consumer Credit Legal Service WA Our organisations are pleased to have the opportunity to provide our feedback to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee. We…

10 December , 2024

Australian Consumers Now Have a Voice at the NBN Table

Consumers will now have a voice at the table to determine how the NBN can better serve the needs of communities around Australia thanks to a $2.56 million funding grant from the Australian Government to the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN). As the peak communications consumer body, ACCAN’s new funding will allow it to…

14 November , 2024

30% of Complaints Return Unresolved After Telco Referral

ACCAN has welcomed the transparency of data released this week by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman which highlights a small year-on-year jump in complaints as well as the telling figure of 30% of consumers not being able to reach a resolution after it is referred to their telco. ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett said, “consumers rely on…

8 November , 2024

Optus Fined Over 2023 Outage Impacting Triple Zero

ACCAN has today welcomed the decisive action by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in holding Optus to account and issuing a $12 million fine for risking the welfare of hundreds of consumers during the widespread outage of November 2023. This latest fine signals the need for the company and its new CEO, Steven…

10 October , 2024

Advocates Warn Scams Prevention Framework Needs Assumption of Reimbursement, Not Halfway Measures

A broad coalition of consumer advocates is calling for the Albanese Government to make one fundamental change to the proposed Scams Prevention Framework (SPF) and put reimbursement at its core, warning that without this improvement the SPF is not going to work for the tens of thousands of Australia’s robbed by scammers. The group’s call…

8 October , 2024

Advocates Warn that Telco Complaint Reduction a Sign of Consumers Giving Up on Process

A report from the Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman (TIO) of a 14.6% reduction in consumer complaints over the past year is unlikely to be an indication of improved satisfaction with communications services. The reduction in complaints is more likely to indicate that telco consumers are increasingly giving up on the complaints process. Over 50% of consumers…

17 September , 2024

Advocates Welcome New Scam Framework, Urge Consumer Safeguards be at the Front and Centre

Consumer Action Law Centre, CHOICE, the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) and Super Consumers Australia, have welcomed the announcement from the Albanese Government of a consultation on a draft bill starting today, for the proposed Scams Prevention Framework. “I congratulate Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones and the Albanese Government for pushing ahead with these scam…

9 September , 2024

New Rules for Triple Zero Services a Win for Public Safety

Changes to Triple Zero rules announced by Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland today are an important step to enhance public safety. ACCAN – Australia’s peak body for communications consumers – welcomes today’s announcement by the Minister that several new requirements will apply to mobile carriers in relation to the Triple Zero service. The range of…

6 September , 2024

Medical Authorities Urged to Address ‘ticking time bomb’ of 3G Shutdown on Medical Devices

Medical authorities must take urgent action to ensure that up to 200,000 medical implant recipients are aware of the health threat posed by the looming 3G network shutdown. ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett said the recent delay to the shutdown of the 3G network was to be applauded, but there was growing concern that people were…

30 August , 2024

Consumer Advocates Call for Mandatory SMS Anti-Scam Registry

The growing rate of scams and the devastating impact they are having on Australians has been recognised by the Federal Government through the establishment of the SMS Sender ID Register – but it should be made mandatory. ACCAN has welcomed this important step in the fight against scams but urges the government to ensure that…

15 August , 2024

Advocates Welcome Extension of 3G Network

Australia’s peak communications consumer body, ACCAN, welcomes today’s joint announcement from major telcos Telstra and Optus that the shutdown of 3G networks will be delayed until 28 October. ACCAN yesterday called on the Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland to delay the shutdown due to health and safety concerns particularly with the ongoing access to triple zero services…

5 July , 2024

Advocates Argue for Direct Regulation of Communication as an Essential Service

The ACCC response to the latest draft of the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code validates long-held consumer concerns about the suitability of self-regulation to protect telecommunications consumers. The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) welcomes and supports the comments of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the May 20 draft of the TCP…