28 November 2011
The Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee will soon complete its consultations for the 2011–12 Regional Telecommunications Review.
The committee is reviewing telecommunications services in regional, rural and remote parts of Australia and will report its findings to the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy in March 2012.
‘Over the past three months, the committee has travelled the country to hear about people’s telecommunications experiences in regional, rural and remote areas,’ Ms Rosemary Sinclair, the committee’s chair, said.
‘We’ve had some terrific feedback and heard a lot of ideas. We would like to thank those people who came along to the public meetings and shared their views.’
‘The committee invites consumers, businesses and organisations to make a submission to the review before submissions close on 11 December 2011, extended from 1 December.’
‘A submission does not need to be a long, formal document – even a few dot points on a page would be helpful to the committee,’ Ms Sinclair said.
On 16 September, the committee released its issues paper, which set out five key areas of interest for the 2011–12 Regional Telecommunications Review:
- Opportunities the emerging digital economy provides for regional Australians
- Improving regional health and education outcomes
- The communications needs of Indigenous people and communities
- Developments in the terrestrial and satellite mobile phone sector
- Consumer concerns of people and businesses in regional, rural and remote Australia.
Copies of the issues paper, including an Easy English version, are available at www.rtirc.gov.au or by calling 1800 064 851 (free call on a landline service).
Further information about the review, including how to make a submission, can also be found on the website or by calling the number above.
Media inquiries: 02 6271 1777 or media@dbcde.gov.au