HORSHAM Rural City councillors have been told that residents are having trouble accessing services because they don’t know how to use technology or they don’t have mobile or internet access.
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A report by Wimmera Rural Access‘Gap Analysis of Public Access, Technology and the Digital Divide in the Wimmera’, found people were being left behind in the transition of government services to digital platforms.
“Internet and phone coverage is not as broad as expected or stated by telecommunication companies,” the report stated.
“Websites are difficult to navigate and for people with disability and some of our aging community they are isolated from information and inclusion in community conversations.”
“There seems to be an assumption that everyone uses a phone or computer but this ignores the variation of use or in fact in some cases no access at all due to distance, cost or ability.”
Cr Mark Radford said he had recently been asked to wait on hold when trying to engage with government services over the phone.
“I was reminded of how important it is when I tried to contact a government department,” he said.
“A recorded message told me I would have to wait for half an hour before before i could speak to a person.
“We have got to do better than that.”
Cr Radford said the report reminded him of the important face-to-face work that Horsham council staff do.
“Yes, we need to encourage people to be digitally literate by technology should not be seen as a train departing without some people on board,” he said.
“Sometimes there is a sense that if you can’t keep up, too bad.
“I think we need to cater for all the community.”
Cr Radford acknowledged that he was having trouble reading his prepared remarks on digital literacy because he couldn’t find the right file on his iPad tablet computer.
Cr Alethea Sedgman said it was important to integrate digital literacy in schools.
“There are people who do not know how to use technology and they become frustrated by it.”
“That’s who we should be educating and supporting.”
Mayor Pam Clarke said she had heard of children being unable to download their lesson material at home and elderly people being chastised over the phone by Centrelink for not having a computer.
“When you have got government department so out of touch and arrogant to treat an 82 or 83 year old like that,” she said.
“Aged care applications are going online. How ridiculous.
“These decisions are being made in the ivory towers of Canberra without the understanding that this age group do not have the capability to do this.”