Good Things Australia have released an Australian-first report into the ‘Economic Benefits of Overcoming Digital Exclusion’.
This groundbreaking report provides an in-depth assessment of the impact that digital exclusion has on the Australian economy and the benefits that overcoming digital exclusion will have on individuals and society as a whole.
The findings conservatively estimate that there are almost half a billion dollars in annual benefits available if appropriate digital inclusion training and financial support are delivered.
This research is critical to our mission of closing the digital divide so no one is left behind. The report was commissioned by Good Things Australia and authored by leading independent economist Nicki Hutley.
What the report covers
The report explores the increasing prevalence of digital technologies in almost every aspect of our everyday lives and how digital inclusion provides opportunities for increased economic and social inclusion, improved health and wellbeing, and greater productivity.
However, for the one in ten Australians who are highly digitally excluded (9.4%) and who typically already face social and economic disadvantage, a lack of access, skills, and affordability all contribute to exacerbating that disadvantage.
Conversely, overcoming digital exclusion will reap multiple benefits for individuals and society as a whole. The report brings together research and information that can be quantified with currently available data.
Qualitatively, we know there are many more benefits. In fact this report has uncovered just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to potential benefits. The impact of inclusion on education and employment outcomes is likely to raise the value of inclusion benefits by a very large margin above these preliminary estimates.
In addition, the widespread adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies is accelerating the pace of change in the digital world exponentially. This report examines current expected benefits, but changing technologies imply the costs of exclusion are only going to increase further as we go forward.
Infographic transcript
Economic Benefits of Overcoming Digital Exclusion in Australia
- The annual economic benefit of closing the digital divide is $467M
- Digital inclusion is a driver of employment growth, social inclusion, enhanced wellbeing, greater productivity
- Providing support to 2.5M highly excluded people would deliver an average benefit of $249 per person/year
- Top three areas: Use of telehealth $206M, More volunteers $71M, Upskilling workers $65M
- Social benefits for the highly excluded are $88 per person/year as a result of people being less isolated, less lonely, more connected
- Benefits for accessing government services: 2.5M more people using online government services, saved travel time, phone calls avoided
- Productivity benefits for accessing online health services are $316 per person/year: Better access to telehealth, 500K+ GP visits by telehealth, saved travel time.
- Good Things Australia
Key findings
Some of the key findings from the ‘Economic Benefits of Overcoming Digital Exclusion’ report include:
- The estimated annual economic benefit of closing the digital divide for highly excluded Australians is $467M/year
- Providing digital inclusion support to 2.5 million highly excluded individuals would break even at $249 per person annually
- The top three economic benefits of closing Australia’s digital divide include an increased use of telehealth services at $206M/year; an increase in volunteers at $71M/year; and an increase in upskilling workers (from no skills to basic skills) of $65M/year
- The social benefits of closing the digital divide for people who are highly excluded are $88 per person/year benefit as a result of reduced isolation and loneliness and improved connection to family and community
- The safety benefits of closing the digital divide for most excluded are $235 + per person/year with less people being scammed and more people aware of how to be safer online
- As people who are highly excluded learn how to access online government services such as myGov, an estimated 2.5M more people would likely use these services.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. More investment in research, data collection and reporting is essential to fully understanding the vital importance of digital inclusion for all, for good.
Download the report
Download the full report to learn more about the research findings.
Contact us if you need this report in alternate formats.
We would like to thank the auDA Foundation for their support in producing this report.
For media enquiries about this report, contact Linda Berrigan, Good Things on 0478 119 066.