1345.4 - SA Stats, May 2007

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/05/2007

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Contents In this Issue Articles Demography State Accounts Consumption Investment Production Prices Labour Force Incomes International Merchandise Trade Housing Finance Environment About this Release	HOUSEHOLD USE OF THE INTERNET IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publication 'Household Use of Information Technology, Australia 2005–06' (cat. no. 8146.0) provides an insight into the growing use of computers and the Internet by South Australian and Australian households. Key findings from this publication showed: Access to the Internet in South Australia increased from 12% in 1998 to 56% in 2005–06. South Australians who have access to a home computer also increased from 41% in 1998 to 67% in 2005–06. The most common main purpose for using the Internet at home in South Australia was for private or personal use. The percentage of South Australian households with broadband only Internet access was 36% in 2005-06, lower than the national average of 47%. In metropolitan South Australia, 39% of households' only Internet access was broadband compared to the Australian average of 53%. The data used in the following article (sourced from 'Household Use of Information Technology, Australia 2005-06') were extracted from the 2005–06 Multi-Purpose Household Survey (MPHS). Similar usage information was obtained in a number of earlier household surveys, enabling comparison of usage patterns over time. This article compares South Australian to national Internet use at home, over time and by age. Statistics in this article that are not in the 'Household Use of Information Technology, Australia 2005–06' (cat. no. 8146.0) publication are available on request by contacting the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070. HOUSEHOLDS WITH INTERNET ACCESS The percentage of South Australian households with access to the Internet increased from 12% in 1998 to 56% in 2005–06, while the proportion of Australian households with access to the Internet increased from 16% to 60%. Over the same period, the percentage of South Australian households with access to a home computer increased from 41% to 67%. Correspondingly, for Australia the percentage of home computers increased from 44% to 70%. PERCENTAGES OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH HOME INTERNET ACCESS, South Australia and Australia, 1998 to 2005–06 Source: Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2005–06 (cat. no. 8146.0). South Australian households continue to lag behind most states and territories when looking at the proportion of households with Internet access. In 2005–06, households with Internet access in the states and territories ranged from 49% in Tasmania to 72% in the Australian Capital Territory. PERCENTAGES OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH HOME INTERNET ACCESS, by state and territory, 2005-06 Source: Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2005-06 (cat. no. 8146.0). INTERNET USE BY AGE GROUP The 2005–06 survey results show that 54% of South Australians aged 15 years and over used the Internet at home during the 12 months reference period. This compared with the estimate for all of Australia of 57%. The following graph shows that in South Australia and Australia, Internet use at home was higher in younger age groups than in older age groups. More than one half of Australians and South Australians between the ages of 15 and 54 inclusive used the Internet in their homes compared with 47% of South Australians and 48% of Australians aged 55–64 years. For both South Australia and Australia the internet usage of those aged 65 years or more was 18%. INTERNET USE AT HOME BY AGE GROUP, South Australia and Australia, 2005-06 Source: Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2005–06 (cat. no. 8146.0). MAIN PURPOSE OF INTERNET USE During 2005-06, the most common main purpose of Internet use at home in South Australia was for personal or private use. Of South Australian adults who used the Internet at home, 66% used the Internet for personal or private purposes, 18% for work or business related purposes, and 14% for education and study purposes. At the national level, 65% of adults used the Internet for personal or private purposes, 18% for work or business related purposes, and 13% for education and study purposes. MAIN PURPOSE OF INTERNET USE AT HOME, South Australia and Australia, 2005–06 Source: Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2005–06 (cat. no. 8146.0). TYPE OF HOUSEHOLD INTERNET CONNECTION During 2005–06, the percentage of households with Internet whose only access was via broadband in South Australia was lower than the national average. The percentage of households with broadband only Internet access in SA was 36%, whereas the Australian average was 47%. In metropolitan areas South Australia is even further behind the national average, with only 39% of metropolitan households whose only Internet access was broadband compared to the Australian average of 53%. PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH INTERNET WHOSE ONLY ACCESS IS VIA BROADBAND, by state and territory, 2005–06 Source: Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2005–06 (cat. no. 8146.0). References: Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2005–06 (cat. no. 8146.0). Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.