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In 2000, 53% of households (3.8 million) had a computer, an 11% increase over 1999. About one-third (33%) of households (2.3 million) had Internet access, a 49% increase over 1999 (graph 24.11). The graph also shows estimates for households with a home computer and those with Internet access in 2001 based on the reported intentions of those households without either in 2000. On that basis, a little over 60% of households are expected to have a home computer and almost 50% are expected to have home Internet access.

24.12 HOUSEHOLD COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS, By Household Type(a) and Income(a)
	Computer access			Internet access
Household type	1998 %	1999 %	2000 %	1998 %	1999 %	2000 %
Households
- With children under 18	64	66	72	22	31	45
- Wiithout children under 18	33	37	43	13	17	26
Household income
- Under $25,000	20	21	24	5	6	10
- $25,000-$49,999	44	45	52	12	17	28
- $50,000-$74,999	61	64	66	21	31	40
- $75,000-$99,999	71	73	78	32	39	55
- $100,000 or more	80	81	85	44	52	69
(a) Proportions are of all households in each category.
Source: Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2000 (8146.0).

• 75% of 18-24 year olds accessed the Internet from any site, compared with 62% of 25-34 year olds, 52% of 35-44 year olds, 47% of 45-54 year olds, 26% of 55-64 year olds and 9% of adults aged 65 years and over;

• 50% of adult males and 43% of adult females accessed the Internet from any site; and

• 50% of adults in capital cities accessed the Internet from any site, compared with 40% of adults who resided in other areas.

24.13 ADULTS ACCESSING THE INTERNET(a)(b), Main Characteristics - 2000
	Site of Internet access(c)
Characteristic	Home %	Work %	Other sites %	Any site %
Age (years)
- 18 to 24	39	24	59	75
- 25 to 34	34	33	33	62
- 35 to 44	35	28	19	52
- 45 to 54	33	29	14	47
- 55 to 64	18	13	8	26
- 65 or over	7	2	2	9
Sex
- Males	32	26	24	50
- Females	25	20	21	43
Region
- Capital cities	32	25	24	50
- Rest of Australia	22	19	20	40
Total adults	29	23	22	47
(a) Proportions are of all persons in each category. (b) Internet access occurred during the preceding 12 months. (c) Persons may have accessed the Internet at only one or any number of sites.
Source: Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2000 (8146.0).

• regardless of whether Internet access occurred at home, school or elsewhere, the likelihood that a child had accessed the Internet increased with age;

• there was virtually no difference in the likelihood that a child of either sex had accessed the Internet, either at home, school or elsewhere; and

• overall, there was no difference in the likelihood that the Internet had been accessed between children in capital cities and those in other areas. However, children in capital cities were more likely to access the Internet at home than children in other areas.

24.15 CHILDREN ACCESSING THE INTERNET(a)(b), Main Characteristics - April 2000(c)
	Site of Internet access(d)
Characteristic	Home %	School %	Someone else's home %	Public library %	Any site %
Age (years)
- 5 to 8	12	12	3	1	22
- 9 to 11	30	37	10	3	55
- 12 to 14	42	51	19	7	72
Sex
- Males	27	32	10	4	47
- Females	25	30	9	3	46
Region
- Capital cities	28	30	10	3	47
- Rest of Australia	23	33	10	4	47
Total children	26	31	10	3	47
(a) Children were aged 5 to 14 years. (b) Proportions are of all children in each category. (c) Internet access occurred during the preceding 12 months. (d) Children may have accessed the Internet at only one or any number of sites.
Source: Use of the Internet by Householders, Australia, August 2000 (8147.0).

• books or magazines (by 33% of adult Internet shoppers);

• music (by 21%); and

• computer software (by 19%).