The ADII reveals that some key groups remain particularly digitally disadvantaged and score low in the Index:62
• Mobile-only users are the most digitally excluded group.
• Older Australians are the least digitally included age group, impeding their lifelong learning and increasing their isolation.
• For people with disability, accessibility and ease of use are key barriers to full use of digital services.
• Australia's lowest-income families score 40 points below the highest-income group for digital inclusion.
• Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are isolated geographically and can be socio-economically disadvantaged. These remote communities risk being digitally left behind.
They continue to record lower ADII affordability scores than the general Australian population and typically pay more for each unit of data because of their remote location.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, children and young people have been especially disadvantaged if they cannot not use online tools to connect with their peers, teachers and lessons. Previously, schools were able to rely on hard-copy lessons or USB sticks as an option for such students. Drawing on the last Census (2016), the Australian Education Union has highlighted that about 125,000 (approximately 5%) of public school students do not have home internet access.63
There have been many successful initiatives to improve digital inclusion, particularly around accessibility standards and community learning. However, the increased importance of being able to get online means digital inclusion now requires a national strategic approach that is owned at a high level within the Australian Government. This strategy should look at creating programs for each demographic group that improves accessibility, affordability and ability to use digital services. Only then will all Australians be digital equals.