All Sessions and Workshops Are Being Held in the Broadway/Jones Rooms
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Day 1 – Wednesday 7th September, 2011
All sessions and workshops are being held in the Broadway/Jones Rooms
9:00amRegistration
9:30amWelcome to Country
9:35amSession 1: A Competitive and Fair Market
Chair: Professor Michael Fraser, Chair, ACCAN Board
Speaker:Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
10amNational Broadband Network
Speaker:Mike Quigley, Chief Executive Officer, NBN Co
10:20amKeynote address: Consumer Decision Making in the Telecommunications Market
Speaker:Dr Paul Harrison, Deakin University
11:00amMorning tea
11:30amSession 2: Broadband for All
Chair: Sue Salthouse, ACCAN Board
Speakers:Teresa Corbin, Chief Executive Officer, ACCAN
The Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, Shadow Minister for Communications and Broadband
Senator Scott Ludlum, Communications Spokesman, Australian Greens
This session focuses on ACCAN’s basic principles for our broadband future: that all Australians should have access to high-speed broadband at an affordable price. The session will look at how we can shrink the digital divide that currently separates metropolitan areas from regional, rural and remote areas, and what needs to be done to ensure no Australian is left behind in the transition to high-speed broadband.
12:30pmLunch
1:30pmSession 3: Consumer Protection and Broadband
Chair: Johanna Plante, Deputy Chair, ACCAN Board
Speakers:Richard Bean, Deputy Chair, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
Peter Kell, Deputy Chair, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
John Stanton, Chief Executive Officer, Communications Alliance
Simon Cohen, Ombudsman, Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO)
In this session we examine consumer protection and broadband. The ACCC will discuss measures to ensure that consumers are protected from false or misleading advertising about broadband speeds and costs. The ACMA will consider how critical information on broadband products should be disclosed to consumers. Communications Alliance will respond to calls for an improved Code and customer service performance. The TIO will discuss the role of external dispute resolution and the management of systemic issues related to broadband.
2:30pmAfternoon tea
3:00pmWorkshop 1: High-speed Broadband Applications in the Home
Facilitator: Ryan Sengara, Director of Research and Development, ACCAN
Speakers:Melissa McCarthy, Head, Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBD)
Rod Tucker, Director, Institute of a Broadband-Enabled Society (IBES).
Anna Wise, Senior Policy Manager, Consumers Health Forum of Australia
Dr Lisa Anderson, Visual Artist
This session provides a snapshot of some of the real-life applications of high-speed broadband and asks the question: will ubiquitousaccess to high-speed broadband change the lives of individuals and communities in a meaningful way? Experts in this session will talk about real-life applications of broadband in the areas of health, education, art and sustainability, and explore what the possibilities are for the future.
4:15pmWorkshop 2: Cloud Computing –What is it and what does it mean for consumers?
Facilitator: Keith Besgrove, First Assistant Secretary, Digital Economy Services, Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE)
Speakers:Craig Baty, Chief Technology Officer,Fujitsu Australia
Iarla Flynn, Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Google Australia
Rob Forsyth, Managing Director Australia and New Zealand, Sophos
This workshop will discuss cloud computing, with an introduction to some of the key concepts. The speakers will consider the opportunities and challenges for consumers as more data, applications and services are stored remotely. The workshop will also consider the privacy and security risks that we may face in this new environment.
5:30pmConference drinkswith special guest appearance by Number Woman
6:30pmConference dinner
Speaker:Genevieve Bell, anthropologist and Director ofIntel Corporation’s Interaction and Experience Research. Genevieve will present live from Dublin via a virtual conference in Vast Park, an Australian-developed “virtual world” platform.
Day 2 – Thursday 8th September, 2011
Location: Wattle Room
9:00amSession 4: Industry Panel – Customer Service and Broadband
Facilitator: Lexi Metherell, Journalist, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Panelists:Paul Fegan, Group Managing Director, Strategy & Corporate Services, Telstra
Maha Krishnapillai, Director of Government & Corporate Affairs, Optus
Cormac Hodgkinson, Director of Customer Service and Experience, Vodafone
Simon Hackett, Managing Director, Internode
In this Q & A-style panel session, ABC journalist Lexi Metherell will host a discussion about customer service and the broadband market. Senior representatives from leading service providers will give their views on current customer service challenges, and how their customer service will change as services delivered over broadband proliferate.
10:00amMorning tea
10:30amConcurrent Workshops – Session A
Workshop 3: Regional Telecommunications
Location: Wattle Room
Facilitator: Elissa Freeman, Director of Policy and Campaigns, ACCAN
Speakers:Rosemary Sinclair, Chair, Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee (RTIRC)
Dr Helen Thompson, Centre for eCommerce and Communications (CeCC), Ballarat University
Anthony Gibson, Communications Spokesman, NSW Farmers’ Association
Assoc. Professor Ellie Rennie, ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation, Swinburne University
Andrew Crouch, Centre for Appropriate Technology (CAT)
It’s been three years since the Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee (RTIRC) delivered its first report. It flagged an outdated Universal Service Obligation, and inadequate availability, reliability and affordability of mobile and broadband services as major issues for people living in regional areas. Has anything changed? As we prepare for another review, hear perspectives from inside the Committee, from those working with farmers, small business and local government, and from researchers on broadband in remote Indigenous communities.
Workshop 4: Convergence
Location: Thomas Room
Facilitator: Deirdre O’Connor,Chair, Telephone Information Services Standards Council (TISSC)
Speakers:Richard Windeyer, Convergence Review Committee, Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE)
Michael McMichael, Chief Executive Officer, National Indigenous Television (NITV)
Jonathan Gadir, Senior Policy Adviser, ACCAN
Regulation and policy for broadcasting is still based on older models of service that are losing relevance as more content is consumed in multiple ways and delivered over variousbroadband-enabled and mobile devices. The Convergence Review is beginning to tackle these questions.This session will consider some of the key challenges and possible pitfalls of the wide-ranging Convergence Review.
11:45amConcurrent Workshops – Session B
Workshop 5: Access to Telecommunications for People with Disability
Location: Wattle Room
Facilitator: Graeme Innes, Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
Speakers:Rob Garrett, Novita (Newell Network)
Keith Besgrove, First Assistant Secretary, Digital Economy Services, Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE)
Kris Newton, Chief Executive Officer, Deafness Forum
Wayne Hawkins, Disability Policy Adviser, ACCAN
The creation of a ubiquitous broadband network has the potential to provide full and equitable access to telecommunications for many Australian consumers with disability – consumers who have traditionally been excluded from the benefits of information and telecommunications technology. The Government’s recent review of access to telecommunication services by people with disability, older Australians and people experiencing illness has opened a dialogue that offers the possibility for real change. This session will explore some of the possibilities that our broadband future can provide to include Australian consumers living with disability in our digital economy in light of this review.
Workshop 6: Fair Calls for All
Location: Thomas Room
Facilitator: Cassandra Goldie, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS)
Speakers:Erin Turner, Fair Calls for All Campaigner, ACCAN
Helen Campbell, Executive Officer, Women’s Legal Services NSW
Jacqui Johnson, Marketing Manager, Alltel
Joanne Willmot, Relationships Australia
Fair Calls For All is ACCAN’s public campaign to fight for fair rates for mobile calls to 1800, 1300 and 13 numbers. This session will address the social impact of high charges to essential numbers, the business case for reform and next steps in the fight for change. Panellists will discuss the urgency of this issue in relation to the rapid move to ‘mobile only’ communication.
1:15pmLunch
2:00pmConcurrent Workshops – Session C
Workshop 7: The Future of Emergency Services
Location: Wattle Room
Facilitator: Kyle Miers, Deaf Children Australia
Speakers:Duncan McIntyre, Assistant Secretary, Consumer Policy & Post Branch,DBCDE
Tony Bennetts, Chief Information Officer, Australian Communication Exchange (ACE)
Martin Dawson, Business Unit Director, CommScope
Dani Fried, Disability Policy Adviser, ACCAN
Theway we make emergency calls is changing, with more emergency calls being made from mobile phones. High-speed broadband may also enable people to contact emergency services and receive emergency warnings in new ways. This session will explore possible futures for more accessible emergency calling services using SMS or smartphones.
Workshop 8: Complaint Resolution Futures
Location: Thomas Room
Facilitator: Deirdre O’Donnell, NSW Information Commissioner, Information & Privacy Commission NSW
Speakers:David Brockman, Manager Planning& Stakeholder Engagement, Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO)
David Havyatt, Havyatt Associates
Neil Harrison, Call Centre Manager, iiNet
Liz Snell, Senior Policy Adviser, ACCAN
The Australian Communications and Media Authority’sReconnecting the Customer inquiry hasfound that improving complaints-handling is critical for the industry and consumers.This session looks at how to improve internal complaints-handling, implementation of an industry Standard, and addressing systemic complaints. Modernisation of the TIO governance structure will also be discussed.
3:15pmAfternoon tea
3:30pmSession 5: Social Media –Voice of the People
Location: Wattle/Thomas Rooms
Facilitator: Elise Davidson, Media and Communications Manager, ACCAN
Speakers:Adam Brimo, Founder Vodafail.com, Mijura Software
Alex Varley, Chief Executive, Media Access Australia
Lilian Spencer, Director, Make Believe
Social media has the ability to connect consumers directly with service providers and with each other around consumer issues. Panellists will discuss how instant connection puts power in the hands of consumers, as they are able to expose issues, band together and support each other. This session will examine the use of social media by people with disability, and the potential of the medium for political and social change.
4.45pmConference close
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