ACMA to revamp consumer consultation process

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:23

IT Policy - Regulation

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will adopt a new "multi-strand" approach to its consumer consultation framework, comprising a revised and reconstituted Consumer Consultative Forum (CCF).
The new CCF "will bring together representatives of consumer groups, industry groups and regulatory agencies to discuss issues affecting consumers" and will be supplemented by a list of specialist experts "with particular interest and expertise in specific matters affecting consumers."

ACMA will launch the new forum "immediately" to look at key consumer issues. "The Consumer Consultative Forum should provide an enduring opportunity for consumer representatives to join industry representatives and regulators in actively engaging on consumer issues," said ACMA chairman, Chris Chapman.

"ACMA is looking to focus on issues affecting the medium-term and long-term interests of consumers. So, we're looking for participants who are able to demonstrate a broad interest in issues affecting Australian consumers of communications services.

"This could be people from organisations representing the end-users of these services or it could be academics or researchers with an interest in consumer issues."

ACMA is also seeking expressions of interest from people and organisations with specialist interest and knowledge in particular consumer-related subject areas to join a specialist expert resource list.

"We are also looking for individuals and organisations with an interest and expertise in particular issue streams – such as disability, rural and remote, low-income, indigenous, youth and senior issues. Here, we intend to engage a broad range of people to assist ACMA with particular streams of work," Chapman said.

Expressions of interest for people interested in participating in the new CCF and the specialist expert resource list close on 31 July 2006.