Home internet in remote Indigenous communities

Overview The Home Internet in Remote Indigenous Communities project was the first comprehensive study of internet adoption and use in Australia’s remote Aboriginal Communities. The research took place between 2010 and 2014, using a mixed methods approach, including a trial of home-based internet and ICT hardware in three outstations in the central Australia region, and case studies in two larger communities (one with a shared internet facility, the other with mobile coverage). The primary objectives of the project were to: Examine home internet in remote Indigenous communities in relation to household economics, ownership and digital literacy and compare with other regimes of access, including communal facilities and mobile devices. Generate knowledge on the challenges and opportunities involved in the Commonwealth Government meeting its national broadband policy goals in the remote Indigenous community context. The project aimed to inform the successful provision of internet infrastructure, maintenance and training in remote areas by providing detailed qualitative analysis of how households in the three communities experienced the internet. We are currently in the final stages of producing a research monograph and final report. The main findings of the project are summarised below