This paper reflects on the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s regulatory practice over the past 10 years; in particular, the role of research in evidence-informed decision-making and regulation.
The discussion explores the ACMA’s use of research to:
- understand and document the pressures for change in the wider environment and the implications of these change pressures on regulatory frameworks
- accommodate change within existing regulatory structures, which the ACMA has done by assessing the need for any regulatory intervention against enduring public interest concepts
- build the capability of citizens and industry to engage effectively with digital communications and media by facilitating access to public resources and providing information to assist citizens in the changing environment
- engage with the public and industry in adapting and designing regulatory and non-regulatory responses that both respond to, and accommodate, change in the industry and user environment.