Measuring Australia's digital divide
The Australian Digital Inclusion Index tracks and reports on digital inclusion in Australia.
What is digital inclusion?
Digital inclusion is about ensuring that all Australians can access and use digital technologies effectively. We are now experiencing an accelerating digital transformation in many aspects of economic and social life. Our premise is that everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from digital technologies: to manage their health, access education and services, participate in cultural activities, organise their finances, follow news and media, and connect with family, friends, and the wider world.
What is the Australian Digital Inclusion Index?
The Australian Digital Inclusion Index uses survey data to measure digital inclusion across three dimensions of Access, Affordability and Digital Ability. We explore how these dimensions vary across the country and across different social groups.
Why is the Index important?
A detailed measure of digital inclusion for Australia allows us to identify the critical barriers to inclusion. These may be related to accessing networks, the costs of devices or data, or skills and literacies. The Index can help shape initiatives to increase digital inclusion in Australia.
Digital inclusion: the Australian context in 2021
Welcome to the 2021 Australian Digital Inclusion Index.
Digital inclusion across Australia is continuing to increase for most social groups and regions.
Pleasingly, the number of highly excluded Australians has declined. But this group remains substantial.
And while COVID-19 has made a difference to online use, particularly for families as they negotiate schooling and working from home, the impact of initial COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 seems to have reinforced many of the existing contours of digital inclusion and exclusion.
As services from health to education shift in whole or part to modes of automated, online delivery, the consequences of digital exclusion for these Australians are likely to translate into lost opportunities and restricted options for work, education, citizenship, and social connection.
Addressing affordability barriers, as well as cyber safety concerns, remain central to increasing digital inclusion and closing the digital divide.
Explore digital inclusion in Australia
Digital inclusion: the Australian context in 2021
The current state of digital inclusion in Australia, and why it’s more important than ever.
Key findings and next steps
Explore key findings and next steps from the latest wave of the study.
Interactive data dashboards
Explore the insights and data through our interactive dashboards.
First Nations
Find out more about First Nations digital inclusion and our ongoing research.
Connected Students project
Telstra’s Connected Students project removes Affordability barriers to digital inclusion for low-income households in the Shepparton region.
Get in touch
We work with companies, institutions, government, and non-government entities across Australia to provide the information and insights needed to make decisions around digital technology, communications infrastructure, and support programs.
If you would like to talk to us about our digital inclusion research program, get access to our data, or conduct research of your own, please get in touch with us any time.
