The Albanese Government has today announced the establishment of the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group to accelerate progress towards closing the digital inclusion gap for First Nations Australians.
Convening for the first time today in Adelaide, the Advisory Group will work closely with First Nations people to provide advice to Government and identify practical measures to support progress towards Target 17 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The Group was funded in the October 2022-23 Federal Budget.
Target 17 commits to equal levels of digital inclusion for First Nations people by 2026, but progress to date has been held back by the lack of a truly collaborative and holistic approach. Importantly, the Group will ensure a comprehensive focus across telecommunications, broadcasting and media, and will consider all three aspects of digital inclusion: access, affordability and ability.
Achieving equal levels of digital inclusion is critical for First Nations Australians given the fundamental importance of connectivity for economic and social opportunities. Digital inclusion is critical for employment, social connectedness, and to access online services including financial services, telehealth and education.
The Group will be chaired by Ms Dorothy West OAM, who has extensive experience across the media and broadcasting sectors, and is a strong advocate for digital inclusion for First Nations people. Ms West is a Noongar woman from the south west of Western Australia and served as a member of the SBS Board from 2012 until 2022. Other Advisory Group members are:
- Dr Lyndon Ormond-Parker, an expert in First Nations digital inclusion, cultural heritage and on-country learning;
- Professor Bronwyn Carlson, an expert in First Nations social media use and online safety;
- Ms Talei Elu, a community advocate for digital inclusion and member of the Queensland Government First Nations Consultative Committee;
- Ms Naomi Moran, Chair of First Nations Media Australia (FNMA) and General Manager of Koori Mail Newspaper.
The Group's work will complement broader efforts across government, industry and the not-for-profit sector to support digital inclusion, such as recognition of First Nations stories as a central pillar of the National Cultural Policy. The Group will also consider the outcomes of the First Nation Digital Inclusion Roundtable, hosted by Minister Rowland on 16 December 2022 and attended by First Nations people, industry and the not-for-profit sector, as it develops its advice to Government.
The establishment of a First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group is part of the Albanese's Government's substantial increase in investment in regional, rural and remote communications initiatives, with $2.2 billion investment in regional communications over the next five years to increase connectivity and bridge the digital divide. The Advisory Group also finally delivers an important recommendation of the 2021 Regional Telecommunications Review to ensure a focused and consultative approach to Indigenous digital inclusion.
