Accessible E commerce Forum
6th meeting:
7 March 2002
Present:
Graeme Innes, Deputy Disability Discrimination Commissioner (Chair)
Dr Sev Ozdowski, Disability Discrimination Commissioner (first part)
David Bell, Australian Bankers' Association (first part)
Helen Scott, Information Manager, Council on the Ageing
Paul Waterhouse, Property Council of Australia
David Fallon, Internet Industry Association Taskforce
Jo Cruickshank, National Office for the Information Economy
Toni Dawes, Civil Justice Division, Attorney General's Department
Karen Smith, Public Affairs Adviser, Credit Union Services Corporation
(by phone)
Tim Noonan, Blind Citizens Australia
Tony Burke, Australian Bankers' Association
Stan Moore, Australian Retailers' Association
Michael Small, HREOC
Apologies:
Nick Hossack, Australian Bankers' Association
Kevin Byrne, Physical Disability Council of Australia
Bridget Larsen, Australian Information Industry Association
Mark Bagshaw, International Marketing Manager, IBM Australasia
1. Matters arising from previous meeting:
Matters arising were listed as ongoing agenda items.
2. ABA report on Action Plan and industry standards
Mr Bell thanked Forum members for their contributions to the development of the industry standards and commented on how effective the working group process, involving all stakeholders, had been. It is expected that the Chair of the ABA, David Murray, will be available to launch them in April.
Mr Burke reported that apart from the contribution of working group members an extensive consultation process had been completed on the drafts. 38 submissions had been received and many suggestions had been incorporated into the final drafts.
Commissioner Ozdowski offered his congratulations and committed to supporting the launch of the standards which he hoped would prove to be a benchmark for e commerce access.
Forum members agreed that any press releases issued on the launch of the standards would be circulated to other members for information prior to release.
Mr Burke informed the Forum that with the completion of the standards the ABA would look again at its original Action Plan to identify ways in which it could promote adoption of the standards and further assist its members.
3. HREOC update
Deputy Commissioner Innes reported that the Commission is looking at ways in which a follow up 'audit' of web site accessibility could be undertaken. The Commission was of the view that a number of Government and high usage non-government sites might be included in an audit and will be discussing the possible scope with NOIE.
Deputy Commissioner Innes described the Commission's ongoing work in the area of copyright and informed Forum members of the Commission's intention to include copyright issues in an upcoming national forum on access to material for tertiary education students in Australian Universities.
As follow up to the launch of the ABA industry standards the Commission will be promoting their adoption through direct contact with financial institutions. The Commission will also undertake a review of where the standards have been applied in the financial services industry in about 12 months time.
4. IIA/AIMIA Action Plan
Mr Fallon reported on the development of the IIA/AIMIA industry Action Plan. It is expected that the performance indicators section of the plan will be completed by April at which point the final draft will go to both organisations for ratification. Discussion took place on the suggestion that internet industry awards should include accessibility as one of the core criteria for receiving an award.
Ms Scott raised the importance of ensuring educators are clear about the need to introduce accessible internet design into curriculum.
5. Other reports
Ms Smith reported on a CUSCAL audit of ATM's and work being undertaken on developing guidelines on the ABA industry standards for members. The guidelines are due to be completed in May and CUSCAL will liaise with other Forum members on their release.
Ms Cruickshank tabled a report on NOIE initiatives focussing on the role NOIE is taking in distributing information and linking organisations concerned about digital divide issues.
Ms Cruickshank noted that Federal Government policy relating to superseded
computers continues to be that they be donated to the schools program.
NOIE is continuing to update its website on information on existing computer
recycling initiatives.
http://www.noie.gov.au/projects/access/online_access/subsidised_comp.htm
.
Ms Cruickshank informed the Forum of a number of new initiatives that would be of interest. At the Online Council meeting of 2 March 2002 Ministers agreed to establish a Digital Divide Forum of senior Commonwealth, State and Territory officials and representatives of local government to enable all jurisdictions to share information and experience on the development and implementation of digital divide programs. The Forum will provide a progress report on its work to Online Council in early 2003.
NOIE is also participating in a Digital Divide Cross Sector Working Group convened by Cisco Systems and being facilitated by consultants from Positive Outcomes (http://www.positiveoutcomes.com.au ).
The first meeting of the Group was held on 28 November 2001 and the group has the potential to become an important alliance of government, business and community organisations.
The purpose of the Working Group is to explore and facilitate opportunities for active cross-sector collaboration in the digital divide area, with an emphasis on the Group being a catalyst for generating new opportunities and new ways for sharing information.
The Government has also announced its intention to establish a Broadband Advisory Group to advise Government on broadband development in Australia.
Deputy Commissioner Innes proposed a separate meeting between NOIE and the Commission to look at how the Forums work fits with the NOIE initiatives.
Mr Noonan reported that a final report summarising the outcomes of the Commonwealth Government's accessAbility Grants Program had been submitted.
Ms Scott presented a report on the activities of COTA including their members involvement in the working parties developing the industry standards. She alerted members to a Deakin University report on telecommunications and banking and of an upcoming visit from a group from the UK National Audit Office looking at electronic service delivery issues.
Ms Scott reported some discussions had taken place within COTA concerning the invitation from ABA to submit proposals for a pilot project on an e-banking education model. Ms Scott discussed the need for a seeding grant to develop a proposal. COTA will be considering possible options further.
Ms Dawes reported that the Attorney-General welcomed the development of the industry standard and would be issuing a press release on their launch.
Mr Moore reported that the ARA would be promoting the standard relating to EFTPOS within its membership.
6. Future role for Forum
Deputy Commissioner Innes introduced a discussion on the future for the Forum. He noted that the Commission had established the Forum, along with the ABA, to achieve progress in relation to the recommendations in the accessible e-commerce report. The Commission did not envisage that the Forum would have an indefinite lifespan as the focus was on establishing partnerships to address access barriers outside the Forum.
While not all the issues identified in the report have seen progress most had and several initiatives are currently underway independent to the Forum. The question for the Commission is whether or not sufficient progress has been made to warrant a review of the continuing value of the Forum. Deputy Commissioner Innes suggested that perhaps there are other Forum or other organisations with specific mandates that could pick up on the outstanding issues.
Mr Burke commented that the ABA sees the Forum as continuing to offer a valuable opportunity for discussing and addressing a range of access issues. The ABA does not see the resource commitment to maintaining the Forum as onerous and would be happy to share some of the secretariat responsibilities if necessary.
Mr Moore said that the Retailers Association had valued the opportunity to participate in discussions and felt that regular, but not frequent, meetings of the Forum provide a good opportunity to keep up with developments. What is important is that we ensure all interested sectors are participating in the discussions.
Mr Noonan said that the BCA considered the work of the Forum to have been very useful in achieving real change in the area of information access. Mr Noonan expressed some concern about the 'political' message that might be given by winding up the Forum at this time.
There was also some discussion about whether it was appropriate for the Forum to look beyond the technical issues to more face to face service delivery issues.
Ms Scott commented that one advantage of the Forum was its broad across sector representation. Her concern was that other fora might not have the same broad representation.
Mr Waterhouse noted that the current agenda for the Forum had limited relevance to property owners and operators and that perhaps a broader financial services agenda should be considered.
It was agreed that further discussion on the future for the Forum was necessary at the next meeting.
In the meantime the Commission should hold further discussions with NOIE about their initiatives and how some agenda items may be shared and that the Commission and ABA should look further at the question of a broader financial services and retail industry agenda.
Next meeting 5 September 2002