New South Wales (NSW) is working to improve digital access across the state with the launch of its first-ever Digital Inclusion Strategy. This initiative is designed to ensure that all people, especially those from disadvantaged communities, have fair access to digital technologies, services, and online resources.
Digital inclusion is about providing equitable opportunities for individuals to access, afford, and engage with the digital world. Certain groups, including people living in regional and remote areas, socio-economically disadvantaged communities, people with disabilities, gender-diverse individuals, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, often face significant barriers to digital participation. According to the Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2023, between 24% and 42% of these groups experience high levels of exclusion from digital services.
The first stage of the strategy’s development includes community consultations to gather feedback. Local residents, industry representatives, and community organizations are encouraged to provide input through surveys, stakeholder meetings, interviews, and focus groups. This consultation will help shape the final Digital Inclusion Strategy and its accompanying Action Plan, which will outline how digital inclusion initiatives are delivered, funded, and expanded across the state.
The strategy will build upon existing community and government-led initiatives to improve digital access and inclusion. The NSW Telco Authority, as part of the broader NSW Connectivity Strategy, will lead the development of this plan, aiming to bridge the digital divide and ensure more people have access to the benefits of digital technologies.
For more information about digital connectivity and to see how areas across NSW compare in terms of access, residents can visit the NSW Digital Connectivity Index here: NSW Digital Connectivity Index.