1. Adult Literacy in Australia
2013 OECD: 43.7 % years-old (7.3 million) had below proficiency level of literacy in Australia

2. Breaking down barriers to digital government
Jesse Chen
Policy Intern, ACCAN

3. Digital government
Digital information: to find information on a government service
Digital services: to complete a government service transaction, application or booking

4. Vulnerable consumer groups
CALD communities
People with disability
Low-income consumers
Rural & remote consumers
Adults over age 65
Remote Indigenous people
Homeless people
Small businesses

5. Barriers across all groups
Digital literacy
Attitudes towards digital technology
Affordability of digital technology
Availability of digital technology
Complex matters

6. CALD communities Low English proficiency Illiteracy in native language
Limited support network
Unaware of digital channels
Distrust in digital government

7. People with disability
Inaccessible digital platforms
Affordability
Excessive graphic information
Uncaptioned audiovisual information

8. Low-income earners Affordability
Outdated Centrelink Telephone Allowance
Limited scope of Carrier Licence Conditions

9. Rural & remote consumers
Low quality internet connections
Poor value for money
No alternatives to satellite internet
Ineffective handling of mobile coverage complaints

10. Adults over age 65 Attitudes towards digital technology
privacy concerns
Low digital literacy
Affordability
Health conditions

11. Remote Indigenous communities
Lack of internet
network congestion
Limited literacy skills
Rigid registration processes
Affordability
Peer-influenced digital choice Availability of digital technology

12. Homeless people Affordability Lack of internet access
Rigid registration processes
fixed address requirement
Theft of digital devices

13. Small businesses Lack of resources to change business practices
Inconvenience of engaging digitally
Rigid government platforms
Only one mobile phone number can be linked to an account
Affordability of digital technology
Availability of digital technology

14. Key recommendations Learning resources
Co-design & testing with vulnerable consumers
Intuitive design eg breadcrumb trail
Retain non-digital channels
Use plain English
Unmeter digital government platforms

15. Areas for further exploration
Homeless youth
Security of information on digital government
Biometric data
State & local governments

16. Thank you Telstra NSW Farmers RMIT University
Council on the Aging (COTA)
Infoxchange
Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia

17. “Breaking Down Barriers to Digital Government” – by Jesse Chen
REPORT AVAILABLE HERE FOR DOWNLOAD: 17