Consultant Appointed to Write Telecommunications Discussion Paper

Consultant Appointed
to Write Telecommunications Discussion Paper

The Commission is pleased to announce that it has chosen William (Bill)
Jolley to write a discussion paper on access to telecommunications for
people with a disability. This follows a previous call
for expressions of interest.

Bill has extensive knowledge and experience of both the telecommunications
and disability sectors. He worked for ten years as a research mathematician
with Telstra, and then for six years as Executive Officer of Blind Citizens
Australia (BCA). While at BCA, Bill conceived and supervised the development
of the Telecommunications and Disability Consumer Representation (TEDICORE)
project, and he became well-known as an articulate and strategic consumer
advocate. Most recently, Bill worked as Secretary General of the DAISY
Consortium, where he was involved in development of the international
standard and implementation strategies for the production, exchange and
use of digital talking books in both developed and developing countries.

Bill has written extensively and given many national and international
presentations on a wide range of issues affecting people with a disability,
including telecommunications. The discussion paper that he is writing
for the Commission will involve a comprehensive review of current and
emerging developments in the area of telecommunications both in Australia
and overseas, as well as extensive consultations with various groups of
stakeholders. It will be published in April 2003, and will provide a framework
for the Commission's further activities in the area of access to telecommunications.

For further information about the Access to Telecommunications project,
please contact:

Bruce Maguire

Policy Officer

Disability Rights Unit

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission

Telephone: 02 9284 9613

Email: brucemaguire@humanrights.gov.au