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Issue No 2: 29 January 2019


Events

Events

Hot Topics
 
  • Assistance and Access Act 2018 (Encryption Bill) Forum - Register here
  • ACOMMS 2019 - Save the date
    15 August 2019

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Communications Alliance - Assistance and Access Act 2018 (Encryption Bill) Forum

Wednesday 6 February 2019

Hosted by

Background:

On 6 December 2018, the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendments (Assistance and Access) Act 2018 was passed in both Houses of Parliament after Labor had withdrawn a number of suggested amendments in return for Government’s promise to review the Act and consider the amendments in the New Year. The PJCIS is currently reviewing the legislation and is tasked to produce a report by 4 April 2019.

A collective of Industry Groups, including Communications Alliance, the Australian Industry Group(Ai Group), the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI) and the Information Technology Professionals Association (ITPA) has recently made a submission to the PJCIS, recommending a raft of changes, drawing on the expertise of its members and recommending incorporation of the most useful aspects of the Labor amendments.

This Forum will provide an overview over the recommended changes to the legislation followed by observations from an expert panel, Q & A and discussion.

Event attendance:

  • Members of the organisations comprising the Alliance for a Safe and Secure Internet
  • News media representatives
  • Baker McKenzie clients
  • Selected other stakeholders

Program:

9.30am

10.00am

10.10am

10.40am

 

 

 

11.50am

Arrival & Coffee

Welcome & Opening Remarks - John Stanton, CEO, Communications Alliance

Overview Joint Industry Submission to PJCIS Review - Christiane Gillespie-Jones, Director Program Management, Communications Alliance

Panel Discussion
Dr Vanessa Teague, Assoc. Prof, University of Melbourne (Cryptography)
Robert Hudson, President, Information Technology Professionals Association (IPTA)
Patrick Fair, Partner, Baker McKenzie
Ron Gauci, CEO, Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA)
Dr Suelette Dreyfus, Executive Director, Blueprint for Free Speech

Closing Remarks - John Stanton, CEO, Communications Alliance

When:Wednesday, 6th February 2019, 9.30am for 10.00am to 12.00pm
Where:SYDNEY - Baker McKenzie, Level 46, Tower One, Barangaroo, Sydney

Register
incl. remote
attendance:

Register-now


ACOMMS 2019

SAVE THE DATE - Thursday 15 August 2019

ACOMMS2019-email

2019 KEY DATES
Launch: Monday 18 February
Nominations Close: Friday 10 May
Early Bird Registrations Close: Friday 31 May
Shortlist Announced: Thursday 4 July
ACOMM Awards Presentation Dinner:Thursday 15 August
The annual Australian Communications Industry Awards - the ACOMMS - recognise excellence in the wider communications industry, rewarding and profiling companies that have excelled within the industry around the nation, regardless of size, location, and whether service providers, vendors, or suppliers of professional services.

Now in their thirteenth year, the nationally recognised and highly-coveted ACOMMS will be awarded in 2019 on the evening of 15 August 2019 at the stunning Hyatt Regency in Sydney.
2018ACOMMS-Collage

Visit the 2018 ACOMMS photo gallery here and highlights video here. And see the 2018 winners here.

ACOMMS 2019 - Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsoring the ACOMMS provides a unique opportunity for brand positioning. As a sponsor, you will have your organisation highlighted in front of a sell-out audience of more than 450 - including some of the most influential professionals and decision-makers in the Telco industry, Government and the regulatory sphere.  Please contact Carolyn Todd on +61 3 9663 3093 or email info@acomms.com.au to discuss sponsorship opportunities at the 2019 ACOMM Awards.

www.acomms.com.au


Telecommunications Complaints in Context Fall to Lowest Level in Three Years

The rate of consumer complaints about telecommunications services fell further in the most recent quarter – generating the best results seen since 2015.

Complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) as a proportion of services in operation (SIO) for service providers who participate in the report decreased to 6.0 complaints per 10,000 services for the period October – December 2018. The full report, including participant ratios, can be found here.

This is now the fourth consecutive quarter in which the ratio has decreased – indicating that focussed efforts by service providers has improved service delivery and the overall customer experience.

It is the lowest ratio since October – December 2015.

Communications Alliance CEO John Stanton said: “a full year of improvement demonstrates without question that the hard work by telecommunications providers is reaping dividends for customers.

“Some of the (industry regulator) ACMA’s new customer-service-focussed instruments came into effect halfway through this period of improvement, while others commenced towards the beginning of this most recent quarter. This has been a multi-faceted effort, and collaboration between Industry, Government, and regulators has been an important part of this success.

“However, Industry will not rest on its laurels and will continue working to improve, and we hope to sustain this positive trend into 2019.”

Stanton also spoke to the benefits of the Complaints in Context report, explaining that “data from an unbiased and trustworthy source such as the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, presented in a comparable way over time, gives consumers useful information and clearly identifies important trends. We look forward to the expansion of the report to more providers when the revised Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code is published later this year.”

Complaints in Context is a quarterly report published by Communications Alliance with complaints data provided by the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. This quarter and previous reports can be found here.


Support the Founder and Chair of Telco Together Foundation

 impact25 

Vaughan-Bowen

 

We are delighted to announce that Vaughan Bowen, Founder and Chair of Telco Together Foundation, has been nominated for an Impact 25 Award.

Pro Bono Australia's Impact 25 Awards honour leaders in the Australian social sector, as nominated and voted for by their peers.

Vaughan is highly respected in the telco industry as the founder of the M2 Group, which he successfully steered from a startup to an ASX-listed national telecommunications company.

Vaughan recognised the power and potential of the telco industry to help disadvantaged Australians. In 2013 he used his own funds to create the Telco Together Foundation to make the vision of a collaborative industry endeavour a reality.

In the past five years, Telco Together has raised over $2.1 million for charity, in addition to generating operational funds.  The Foundation has facilitated 3,500 hours of volunteer time by telco staff, and delivered strategic projects, including the Text Giving fundraising platform, and the Small Change Big Change on-bill donation initiative.

You can help us recognise and celebrate Vaughan’s tireless efforts in advocating for the telco industry to work together to create a positive impact.

Vote for Vaughan by January 31, and please share widely with your networks.

Thanks for your support!

 
vote-button 

 

Telco-Together 

 


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