Submission to the Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee

In July the Centre made a submission to the Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee regarding the Regional Telecommunications Review 2015 Issues Paper. The RTIRC is established every three years to conduct a review into telecommunications services in regional, rural and remote (RRR) parts of Australia.

The Issues Paper outlined 12 key questions on which the RTIRC was seeking views in relation to how the “… Australian Government and other levels of government, industry and the community can support access to telecommunications services that meet the needs of people living in [RRR] parts of Australia.” (page 1).

Chapter 3 of the Issues Paper focuses on how telecommunications services are used in regional, rural and remote Australia. Chapter 3 specifically references the use of telecommunications services in business, health, education and government.

The Centre submitted that as part of the Review that the RTIRC should also specifically consider how access to telecommunications infrastructure and services can facilitate access to pro bono and other free legal services, and access to justice for disadvantaged and marginalised Australians.

In making this submission the Centre primarily drew on the research it has conducted for two conference papers (June 2015 and April 2014) that it has delivered on the use of video conferencing technology in the delivery of pro bono legal services.

The Centre’s submission is available here.