No one is saying they have been doing it for free, it’s a cost that’s been built into the system being paid by us all, the $3 fee is part of the plan to push more of the costs onto those using the service.Think they have been doing it for free is dumber
And as I said in above comments it moves people away from cash by default.No one is saying they have been doing it for free, it’s a cost that’s been built into the system being paid by us all, the $3 fee is part of the plan to push more of the costs onto those using the service.
You complaining about it is like when people complained because councils started charging for water, the loudest voices were the people used to wasting water.
Remote First Nations communities are among the most digitally excluded people in Australia: report
RMIT-led research has found a significant gap in digital inclusion for First Nations people compared with other Australians, which widens substantially with remoteness.
About 43% of the 1,545 First Nations communities and homelands across Australia have no mobile service – including some with only a shared public phone or no telecommunications access – highlighting a need for action to close the digital gap.
The “Mapping the Digital Gap” 2023 Outcomes Report released today addresses the previous lack of data on the nature and scale of the digital gap for First Nations people.
The project supplements the Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) to enable comparative results against national data.
Under ADII modelling, 45.9% of remote First Nations research participants are highly excluded, compared to 9.4% percent of the Australian population, illustrating the considerable disparities.
Nationally, the gap in digital access between First Nations people and other Australians is 7.5 points out of 100.
But the gap widens significantly to 24.5 points for remote First Nations people and 25.4 points for those living in very remote communities.
Lead investigator and Senior Research Fellow, Dr Daniel Featherstone, said with government and other services increasingly moving online, it’s crucial that all Australians can effectively access and use digital technologies.
"Everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from digital technologies,” he said.
“We use these technologies to access essential services for health, welfare, finance and education, participate in social and cultural activities, follow news and media, as well as connect with family, friends, and the wider world.”
“Improving digital inclusion and access to services is critically important to ensure informed decision-making and agency among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
Gangan co-researcher Djamika Ganambarr uses the public phone which is the primary means of phone communication for most Gangan residents.
This report marks the first time the digital gap for First Nations people has been measured nationally by remoteness categories – from major cities to outer regional, remote and very remote – across various demographic indicators.
The study found accessing digital technologies was most challenging in remote communities due to limited communications infrastructure, low household access and patchy, congested mobile services.
With residents in remote communities typically on low incomes, 84% of these respondents in the study used or shared a mobile device, and 94% of these used pre-paid services.
The high cost of pre-paid data and low household uptake of fixed broadband also led to significant affordability issues.
“While pre-paid services allow people more control over mobile costs, they typically cost more per gigabyte,” said Featherstone.
“This often leads to data rationing and periods without service. These affordability constraints have a significant impact on access.”
53.3% of First Nations people surveyed in the study said they had sacrificed paying for essentials such as food or bills to stay connected, compared to 19.1% of other Australians.
Featherstone said these compounding factors of access and affordability end up impacting the ability of First Nations people in remote communities to use online services, mobile apps and stay safe online.
Factors such as older age, disability, language barriers, low educational attainment and income can further impact their digital ability.
Co-researcher Lala Gutchen raising her phone for internet reception while taking the team out fishing.
The research team are working across 12 remote First Nations communities over four years to understand the scale and nature of the digital gap.
Co-investigator and Principal Research Fellow, Dr Lyndon Ormond-Parker (Alyawarr), said the project was enabling the team to track Target 17 of the National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Target 17 refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people having equal levels of digital inclusion by 2026.
"Having First Nations leadership and perspectives in the research is critical in supporting appropriate community-led solutions,” said Ormond-Parker.
Next steps
Mapping the Digital Gap is funded by Telstra and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society.
The research team have actively contributed to policy and program reviews, including participation on the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group to Communications Minister Hon. Michelle Rowland MP. Dr Lyndon Ormond-Parker is Deputy Chair of the Advisory Group, with Dr Daniel Featherstone on the Expert Panel supporting the group.
Further research is scheduled for this year and next, including updated community reports and contributions to the Australian Digital Inclusion Index dashboard and reporting.
“Through these initiatives, we hope to contribute to closing the digital gap and helping foster agency and self-determination across Australia’s remote First Nations communities,” said Featherstone.
“Mapping the Digital Gap: 2023 Outcomes Report” was prepared for ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society. (DOI: 10.25916/a01g-fp91).
Daniel Featherstone, Lyndon Ormond-Parker, Lauren Ganley, Julian Thomas, Sharon Parkinson, Kieran Hegarty, Jenny Kennedy, Indigo Holcombe-James, Lucy Valenta and Leah Hawkins are co-authors.
That’s already happened, the majority of people do not default to cash, and if you took away the people who prefer cash because they want to avoid digital fees and the ones that just want to dodge tax the numbers would be even smaller for cash users.And as I said in above comments it moves people away from cash by default.
Was looking yesterday at cba at 2 elderly persons in front of me, and another young but multiple kids wrapped around that i would shamefully automatically move into the not so wealthy.ABC Radio National had a report this morning describing the issues that Australian aboriginals are having access digital services, including banking, in remote locations of Australia.
Internet drop out is causing digital banking and eftpos failure.
Cash, on the other hand, still works fine.
No... That's not how to deal with upcoming issues..
It’s happening mate, just deal with it.
Or you can just cry about it, it makes no difference, this gs are going digital, and cash is getting more and more expensive per transaction as a consequence, eventually the model will change whether you like it or not.No... That's not how to deal with upcoming issues.
I'd argue cash in circulation is up as well.
You have a tendency to get p1ssy like a toddler when pushed. Cash isn't going anywhere just yet.Or you can just cry about it, it makes no difference, this gs are going digital, and cash is getting more and more expensive per transaction as a consequence, eventually the model will change whether you like it or not.
I think that’s more to do with the way you read my postsYou have a tendency to get p1ssy like a toddler when pushed. Cash isn't going anywhere just yet.
No... That's not how to deal with upcoming issues.
I'd argue cash in circulation is up as well.
Cash is trending UP in Australia, reports RBA
Cash Welcome
The latest official data released yesterday by the RBA shows cash usage is trending up in Australia, despite banks continuing to restrict access to physical currency.
The total number of ATM cash withdrawals made in Australia jumped up by 767,600 (2.7%) to 29,438,600 in August 2024 from 28,671,000 in July, (seasonally adjusted) reported the Reserve Bank of Australia.
The total value of Australian banknotes on issue has also jumped up, by $162 million to $100.8 billion on 2nd October 2024, from $100.6 billion the previous week, according to the RBA Balance Sheet.
Jason Bryce, spokesperson for CashWelcome.org, said banks must respond to consumer demand and start to reopen their closed ATMs.
"Banks continue to close down our access to cash but Australians are looking for ATMs, travelling further to get cash and paying fees to access their money," said Jason Bryce.
"This data proves that Australian bank customers continue to want cash even when their local bank branches and bank-owned ATMs are closed.
"Banks have no excuse for continuing to close branches and ATMs while Australians clearly want and expect to be able to get cash.
"Banks often say they are responding to what consumers want. This data shows consumers want cash so I expect to see the big banks start to reopen many of their closed ATMs."
Cash Welcome is a campaign to protect our right to choose how we pay, backed by donations from consumers, business and the cash industry. I have a petition that has attracted over 190,000 signatures:
Sign the Petition An Australian cash and banking guarantee Change.org
Cash Welcome is calling for:
1) Banks to guarantee local access to cash.
2) Retailers guarantee we can use cash to buy food, medicine and fuel.
3) Large retailers ensure no less than 40% of checkout terminals accept cash.
4) Large retailers lift restrictions on EFTPOS cash out up to $500 with no purchase or fee.
Key Facts:
ATM cash withdrawals are UP in August by 2.6% (RBA)
Total banknotes on issue is UP to $100.8b, from $100.6b (RBA)
About us:
Jason Bryce
0428 777 727
jason@cashwelcome.org
Contact details:
Jason Bryce
Cash Welcome
My 86 year old grandmother past away a bit over a year ago, but she was all digital, was heavy user of IPad and loved face timing and using Facebook etc and even ordered all her groceries online.Was looking yesterday at cba at 2 elderly persons in front of me, and another young but multiple kids wrapped around that i would shamefully automatically move into the not so wealthy.
Both at atm while i was behind patiently waiting fir my turn
Considering the time it took them to do a simple cash withdrawal operation, i will argue that, cash is hard enough to access for them!!!
I am terrified at how these people are even able to follow on their financial affairs, on nowadays financial online only platforms.....
Scary, but for some: all digital and the problem is sorted, then they will not even need to know anything, simple consuming units blissfully and trustfully unaware
Is that your mobile @JohnDe ? An unwise mistake, please correctAccording to Jason Bryce, cash usage is up but banks are making it dificult to access.
0428 777 727
I really need a reality check:my dad or your Nana in their 80s can, but some 40y olds are unable.My 86 year old grandmother past away a bit over a year ago, but she was all digital, was heavy user of IPad and loved face timing and using Facebook etc and even ordered all her groceries online.
Cash is not easier for old people, once they learn it, they will love it, they just need to take the first leap. If my 86 year old grandmother can order her groceries online and pay with debit card, anyone can.
Its ok mr frog, that is the number of the Melbourne open water swimming association.Is that your mobile @JohnDe ? An unwise mistake, please correct
Sorry GG, I have a strict policy of never paying those foolish enough to try and extort ransom monies. <Insert appropriate smiley here />May I ask about, and it probably already has been asked, the matter of ransom money being paid in a cashless society.
So say for example if some bad actors like Nicole Kidman or Tom Cruise, or both, kidnapped me how would they be paid in a cashless society?
Is it proposed that Bitcoin would take over from cash in ransom money finalisation and would it be acceptable to bad actors to be paid in such a manner, ensuring their escape from justice?
gg
@Garpal Gumnut I guess gg that if anyone was foolish enough to grab you as ransom bait then you more than likely would be hung out to dry.May I ask about, and it probably already has been asked, the matter of ransom money being paid in a cashless society.
So say for example if some bad actors like Nicole Kidman or Tom Cruise, or both, kidnapped me how would they be paid in a cashless society?
Is it proposed that Bitcoin would take over from cash in ransom money finalisation and would it be acceptable to bad actors to be paid in such a manner, ensuring their escape from justice?
gg
@Craton Ditto.Sorry GG, I have a strict policy of never paying those foolish enough to try and extort ransom monies. <Insert appropriate smiley here />
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