Response to the NSW Government Discussion Paper
26 June 2024
The NSW Government is working to prepare its first digital inclusion strategy. PWDA welcomes the opportunity to provide preliminary comments on the development of the NSW Digital Inclusion Strategy.
PWDA have participated in consultations to help shape the strategy along with other Disability Representative Organisations and people with disability.
Our submission to the Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government responds to the below specific questions asked by the NSW Government to help develop the strategy:
- What does it mean for you to be digitally included?
- What challenges do you face in accessing and using the internet, digital technologies or online services?
- What specific aspects of digital inclusion are most important to you and your community? For example access to the internet, digital skills training, affordable devices. What challenges do you anticipate in the future?
- What do you think should be the top priorities for improving digital inclusion in NSW?
- How can we collaborate to make digital inclusion a reality for everyone in NSW? How can different parts of the community, such as local businesses, schools and nonprofits, collaborate to address these challenges?
- What initiatives or partnerships would you like to see in place to support digital inclusion efforts?
- How do you think new and advanced technologies can be used to make sure everyone in our community can easily use digital tools and be a part of the online world?
- How can digital technology benefit Aboriginal communities, and what barriers shouldbe addressed as a priority?
PWDA defers to our peers in the First Peoples Disability Network, Indigenous
organisations and individuals to answer the last question. We look forward to their insights
and advice.
Summary of Recommendations
Recommendation 1 - The NSW Government should establish a consultative group composed of people with disability and their disability representative organisations to help identify barriers, respond to new issues as technology evolves, recommend solutions, advise on training design and evolve the strategy and its application to improve inclusion over time.
Recommendation 2 - In order to understand the needs the strategy aims to address the NSW Government should commit to measuring the problems barriers people with disability face
Recommendation 3 - The NSW Government should work with the disability consultative group to evaluate the digital documents and processes used by government, and core service providers, for accessibility and inclusion. It should then set standards for inclusion that address the needs of users who currently face exclusion.
Recommendation 4 - The NSW Government must fund the resourcing of measures to address the identified barriers to digital inclusion
Recommendation 5 - The NSW Government Digital should establish a digital inclusion incubator
Recommendation 6 - For those who experience problems using digital technology, or are unable to do so, telephone and face to face alternatives must be provided.
Recommendation 7 - The NSW Government must set inclusion targets, then regularly publish performance data tracking progress against them
