A digitally inclusive future for NSW

A more digitally inclusive NSW will provide everyone greater opportunities to access, afford and engage with digital technologies, services, and online resources – while also preserving offline options for accessing essential services. Everyone will benefit regardless of their location, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, cultural background or ability.

Being able to access information and services online is a key enabler of broad social and economic benefits for everyone. It can make it quicker and easier to use essential and everyday services like healthcare, banking and social welfare. It can boost employment and education opportunities as well as productivity, while uniting and socially connecting people and communities across NSW.

As the world increasingly moves online, a person’s ability to engage with the digital world or be ‘digitally included’ has become a determining factor in their ability to participate in modern society. Digitally excluded people face increasing isolation due to lack of access to information and services and a reduced ability to participate in society. And due to the rapidly changing nature of digital technologies, they are at risk of further exclusion if they are unable to maintain a baseline level of knowledge or confidence in using them. 

In response, the NSW Digital Inclusion Strategy sets the direction for creating a more digitally inclusive environment for the benefit of every person in NSW. 

In a more digitally inclusive NSW, people will be able to choose how they access government services, whether online or offline. They will be supported to fully engage with essential information and services regardless of the channel. This strategy aims to achieve this through initiatives such as a NSW Digital Inclusion Standard, which will ensure government agencies develop digital products, services and programs to be inclusive and accessible to everyone.

Communities will also have better access to digital connectivity*, regardless of their location. This strategy aims to improve digital connectivity across NSW through private sector partnerships and an all-of-government temporary coverage policy that outlines best practice digital connectivity solutions in response to network failures.

*Digital connectivity refers to reliable, high-speed internet that allows people to get online.

People experiencing financial hardship should be able to access the digital connectivity, devices and products they need to participate in the digital world. Under this strategy, the NSW Government will distribute repurposed digital devices to communities in need through a NSW Device Bank, explore how it might donate unused mobile data to people in need by partnering with telecommunications providers, and identify other ways to alleviate the costs of becoming and remaining digitally connected by partnering with the Australian Government, private and not-for-profit sectors. 

In a more digitally inclusive NSW, people will also have the digital skills and connectivity literacy they need to thrive. Under this strategy, the government aims to achieve this by partnering with community organisations to establish a local mentorship network and teaming up with private and not-for-profit stakeholders to boost the reach of their educational resources.

NSW Government digital products and services will be accessible to all and designed to consider a diverse range of needs and circumstances. In addition to implementing a NSW Digital Inclusion Standard, this strategy aims to embed inclusion and accessibility best practices across the public sector, including areas such as procurement and consultation.

In a digitally inclusive NSW, people will feel more safe and secure online. They will trust digital government services to keep their data safe and are supported to protect themselves from online scams, privacy breaches and online harassment. This strategy aims to achieve this by promoting training, resources and support programs for communities and establishing a trust measurement framework for NSW Government digital services.

Some of these initiatives can be implemented quickly, while others have a longer timeframe. By starting the process now, we begin to create a more digitally inclusive NSW.