Hi all,

Whilst not directly focused on Internet domain policy, the following is an
example of the Govt's commitment to include consumer representation in the
formulation of communications policy - this might interest a few here, as I
think it may well have future relevance to policy bodies like AuDA.

Rgds, Don

Continued support for consumer representation

Grants totalling more than $647,000 to groups representing the interests of
consumers in Australia's competitive telecommunications market were today
announced by the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the
Arts, Senator Richard Alston.

The grants help consumer bodies promote consumers' interests in the
telecommunications industry self regulatory processes-such as participating
in the activities of the Australian Communications Industry Forum-and
flagging the interests of consumers in submissions to Government and
Government regulatory bodies.

The six consumer bodies are:

Australian Association of the Deaf-to represent the interests of deaf
consumers ($62,329);

Blind Citizens Australia-for the representation of blind consumers
($90,000);

Communication Aid User Society-to represent the needs of people with
communications or speech impairments ($10,000);

Consumers' Telecommunications Network-for the representation of residential
consumers ($280,000);

Small Enterprise Telecommunications Centre Limited-for representation in the
area of small business users ($198,000); and

Women With Disabilities Australia-to represent the interests of women with
disabilities ($7,440).

These consumer bodies cover the telecommunications needs of a range of
people within the community-including people with disabilities, small
business and residential consumers.

Broadening representation of people with disabilities foreshadows the
Commonwealth Government's commitment to adequate representation of people
with disabilities following the Telecommunications Service Inquiry (TSI)
report.

As part of its response to the Telecommunications Service Inquiry, the
Government has allocated a further $3.4 million over four years, from 1 July
2002, to continue consumer representation and research under the program.

The 2001-02 consumer representation funding has been made available under
section 593 of the Telecommunications Act 1997.

Calls for applications for telecommunications research grants will be made
later in the year.

Media Contact: Sasha Grebe, 02 6277 740 or 0409 445 246
Website: www.richardalston.dcita.gov.au


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