The multi-layers of digital exclusion in rural Australia

Despite many policy interventions, Australia’s ruralareas continue to be at a digital disadvantage. Withthe increasing penetration of information andcommunication technologies (ICT) into all public andprivate realms, there is a need to examine the deeplyrooted digital divide and how it relates to multipledimensions of infrastructure, services and demand inrural communities. This paper reports findings froma workshop with seven rural local governments fromthe State of New South Wales, Australia. The findingssuggest that rural digital exclusion results from amulti-layered divide where elements ofinfrastructure, connectivity and digital engagementare intertwined