Closing the digital divide in key demographics
The Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) highlights that many demographic groups are being left behind in Australia's digital evolution. While the divide has narrowed, there are still many parts of society that cannot take advantage of the educational, health, social and financial benefits of being connected.52
The Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance (ADIA)53 defines being digitally included as:
• having affordable access (connection and a device) to high-quality internet
• being able to use the internet in an accessible way, whether the person is living with disability, from a culturally or linguistically diverse background, or has other special needs
• having the ability, skills and confidence to complete tasks on, and benefit from, the internet.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the pace and urgency of investment in digital transformation as people's reliance on digital services became more important than ever. The shutdown of schools, businesses and retail services across the country created a rapid shift to digital services for everyday needs (see Figure 7.5).
The telecommunications sector responded with comprehensive actions to ensure digitally disadvantaged populations could afford to stay online. In April 2020, all major telecommunications providers agreed to comprehensive hardship principles to provide extra relief to consumers and businesses in financial hardship.54 In addition, NBN Co provided a hardship fund of $150 million to help ensure internet service providers could connect low-income families with home schooling and assist households and businesses facing financial hardship.55
The pandemic drove a scale of digital transformation in months that would normally occur over many years.56 For many communities, this was a clear turning point in digital adoption. For others, it revealed a wide digital gap that must be closed.
Figure 7.5: Almost all Australian children studied from home in 2020, increasing suburban demand for digital services
