Australian communication bodies unite

Australia’s communications industry is poised for the creation of a new peak body, the Communications Alliance.

The Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) and Service Providers
Association (SPAN), are in the final stages of negotiating to merge under the new Communications Alliance banner.

The boards of both the ACIF and SPAN have agreed to the merger, which will now be put to the membership for final approval. The timetable adopted will see the two organisations complete the transition to a new structure by September 1.

ACIF CEO, Anne Hurley, has agreed to become CEO of the new industry body.

Hurley said the combined organisation would have the membership, resources and capabilities to speak and act on behalf of a broad cross-section of the communications industry as well as develop collaborative industry responses to emerging trends and issues.

“The Communications Alliance will engage in the full range of industry activity from exploration, investigation and discussion of emerging industry trends, through to critical discussion and debate of the regulatory and policy issues raised by these emerging trends,” Hurley said.

SPAN’s chairman, John Kranenburg, noted that both SPAN and ACIF members will benefit by becoming part of an expanded industry.

Unique services currently provided, such as the ACIF process for development of the documentary outputs – industry codes and technical standards – which have regulatory status under the Telecommunications Act 1997 and the provision of SPAN’s Alternative Dispute Resolution, which acts to solve disputes between parties within the industry, will continue to be key elements of the new Alliance, said Hurley.