8146.0 - Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2002 and 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/09/2004   
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INTRODUCTION
The statistics included in this publication present information on access to computers and the Internet in private households in Australia. Data are also presented on usage of computers and the Internet by:

  • persons with a disability aged 15 years or over
  • persons aged 60 years or over
  • Indigenous persons aged 15 years or over
  • children aged 5 to 14 years
The publication presents results from the 2002 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS), the 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) and the 2003 Survey of Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities (CPCLA).

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
  • In 2003, 66% of Australian households had access to a computer at home (up from 44% of households in 1998) and 53% of Australian households had home Internet access (up from 16% of households in 1998).

HOUSEHOLD COMPUTER OR INTERNET ACCESS - 1998 TO 2003

Graph: Household Computer or Internet access - 1998 to 2003


  • In 2003, just under half (48%) of people aged 15 years or over with a disability (excluding persons with a disfigurement or deformity without any limitations), reported having used a computer in the previous 12 months. For the same period, almost 2 in 5 (39%) had accessed the Internet. Use of a computer or the Internet was more likely for younger persons with a disability, those with a higher level of educational attainment, those without a core-activity limitation, and those in capital cities.

USE OF COMPUTERS OR THE INTERNET BY PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY,
by age group – 2003
Graph: Use of Computers or the Internet by persons with a disability, by age group – 2003

  • In 2003, 29% of people aged 60 years or over living in private households in Australia reported having used a computer and 21% reported having used the Internet in the last 12 months. Use of a computer or the Internet was more likely for males, those without a disability, those who were employed, those with a bachelor degree or higher and those living in capital cities.

USE OF COMPUTERS OR THE INTERNET BY PERSONS AGED 60 YEARS OR OVER,
by sex –2003
Graph: Use of Computers or the Internet by Persons 60 Years or Older, by Sex, 2003

  • In 2002, 56% of Indigenous people aged 15 years or over used a computer and 41% used the Internet in the previous 12 months. Indigenous people in non-remote areas (63%) were almost twice as likely to have used a computer than those in remote areas (34%). Similarly non-remote Internet use (48%) is just over twice remote Internet use (22%) for the same period.

USE OF COMPUTERS OR THE INTERNET BY INDIGENOUS PERSONS,
by remoteness – 2003
Graph: Use of Computers or the Internet by Indigenous bersons, by remoteness – 2003

  • Most children aged 5 to 14 years (95%) used a computer and 64% used the Internet in the 12 months to April 2003 during or outside of school hours. Computer usage increased with age from 90% for 5 to 8 year olds to 99% for children aged 12 to 14 years. As with computers, Internet usage increased with age from 37% of 5 to 8 year olds to 88% for 12 to 14 year olds for the same period.


USE OF COMPUTERS OR THE INTERNET BY CHILDREN,
by age – 2003
Graph: Use of Computers or the Internet by children, by age – 2003


OTHER INFORMATION
The publication also includes other information relating to computer and Internet use, including:
  • Selected characteristics of persons with a disability, by site, purpose, selected Internet transactions and selected government services accessed
  • Selected characteristics of persons aged 60 years or over, by site, purpose, selected Internet transactions and selected government services accessed
  • Selected characteristics of Indigenous persons, by site, main purpose and frequency
  • Selected characteristics of children, by site, select activities and frequency.