• Australian Government Department of Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy

01 August 2011The Australian Government is undertaking a review of the services available to help people in need of assistance to access and make the most of the telecommunication choices available to them, including the National Relay Service (NRS).

While relay services provide vital support, new technologies—such as those enabled by the internet and smartphones—allow people in need of assistance to access telecommunications services to communicate with greater independence at an affordable cost. The rollout of the National Broadband Network will further increase telecommunication options available to Australians.

Given the increasing use of newer technologies, the government wants to consider how it can best support access to telecommunication services by people with disability in the future. With this in mind, in 2010 the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy announced a review of access to telecommunication services by people with disability.

The website for the Review of access to telecommunications by people with disability, older Australians and people experiencing illness contains information, including in Auslan and audio formats, on the Terms of Reference for the Review, and how to make a submission, and other ways to have a say.