Measuring Digital Inequality in Australia

In the past two decades digital inequality has come to be understood as a complex, evolving and critical issue, generating demand for more complex measurement tools. The Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII), developed in 2015, is a composite index that addresses this demand. This paper describes the development of the ADII, its architecture and the dataset used to populate it.

Disruption and Experimentation

After a literature review, this paper reports on a study of six Australian newspaper websites, which were all analysed on the same day in July 2014. The analysis seeks to assess how newspaper websites are adapting to change and how they are relating to both their own readers and to the printed versions of the same masthead.

Internet connectivity among people experiencing poverty and deprivation

Results from a 2013 Hardship Survey show the disparity in Internet connectivity between people experiencing poverty and deprivation and Australians generally. The paper presents detailed findings from the survey on Internet connectivity.

Internet connectivity among people experiencing poverty and deprivation

Results from a 2013 Hardship Survey show the disparity in Internet connectivity between people experiencing poverty and deprivation and Australians generally. The paper presents detailed findings from the survey on Internet connectivity.

The role of public procurement in improving accessibility to ICT

Public procurement policies may include ICT accessibility criteria to improve access to their services and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. This paper outlines research on comparative analysis of the situation in Australia with current policy in OECD countries. The research resulted in recommendations for a consumer-oriented plan to work with Australian governments on the introduction of accessibility criteria in ICT public procurement.

The importance of circumstance

This paper presents findings from a research project on mobile phones and the Internet in the lives of people experiencing homelessness. It is based on a study of 95 adults, families and young people experiencing homelessness which was carried out in Sydney and Melbourne in early 2014.

CommsWire - 29 September 2015

Vocus, M2 to merge and create $3 billion telco; M2 and Vocus merger a welcome addition of scale: Ovum; Attention next-gen startups: Telstra?s muru-D wants you!; Telstra and Swinburne Institute launch Australian Digital Inclusion Index; ISPs could go out of business over data retention warns peak body.

Availability, access and affordability across 'digital divides':

In understanding commonalities between minority groups in relation to access and affordability, the paper argues that these can no longer be considered 'minority' issues as they affect a significant proportion of the Australian population. Rather, affordability needs to be framed as part of a wider discussion about access and accessibility. Furthermore, notions of access and accessibility should be emphasised and clearly distinguished from mere availability.

New Ideas for digital affordability

Affordability is an important and recurrent issue in telecommunications and the digital economy. this paper considers the current policy impasse, analyses leading directions, and argues for the importance of arriving at a new and unified approach to affordability.

Digital inclusion

This paper explores the current needs, challenges and benefits of digital inclusion in Australia, particularly how the concept of social inclusion is evolving with changes in technology and to social structures. This article is a pr?cis of a White Paper commissioned by Telstra. The aim is to advance understanding of digital inclusion and introduce a more refined conceptual framework for defining and addressing digital equality.