8146.0.55.001 - Patterns of internet access in Australia, 2006  
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Contents >> Socio-Economic Aspects >> Chapter 6 Socio-economic factors in Internet and Broadband access - For Individuals

CHAPTER 6 SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS IN INTERNET AND BROADBAND ACCESS - FOR INDIVIDUALS

Since the Census 2006 Internet question is based on dwellings, analysis based on personal level characteristics had to be derived. As indicated in Chapter 2, an underlying assumption for this study is that all members of the household (excluding 0-4 age range) have access to the Internet, if the dwelling has Internet access.


Personal level variables examined are

  • Age and gender
  • Educational attainment
  • Labour force status
  • Place of birth
  • Proficiency in spoken English
  • Disability (People with need for assistance in core activities)

While there are very clear relationships between Internet access and factors such as age, income and education, on the basis of cross-tabular analysis alone made in the chapter, it is difficult to isolate the key characteristics associated with Internet access. This is because cross-tabulations do not control for the impact of other factors. In this study, multivariate analysis using logistic regression techniques have been used for disentangling the different effects of multiple factors. Chapter 9 reports the results of this type of analysis in detail.


Nevertheless, some interesting patterns emerging from the simpler cross-tabular analysis is described below.



6.1. Age and gender of people living in occupied private dwellings

Internet access is analysed for people living in occupied private dwellings. The age group 0-4 is excluded from the analysis. People with ages between 5 and 14 have the highest proportion of access, followed by people in the 15-24 age range. The proportion tapers off sharply for people more than 55, with only a quarter of people 75 years or above having access to the Internet.


Access rates are similar for both sexes in the 5 -14 age group. For every age group selected between 25 and 54, women living in occupied private dwellings enjoyed higher proportions of access for any Internet. However, for people 55 years and above, males have higher access rates.

Figure 21: Internet Access by Males by Age Group - August 2006
Graph: Figure 21: Internet Access by Males by Age Group—August 2006


Figure 22: Internet Access by Females by Age Group - August 2006
Graph: Figure 22: Internet Access by Females by Age Group—August 2006




6.2. Education attainment

6.2.1 Internet access by the highest year of school completed by individuals

For the purpose of this analysis, people living in private occupied dwellings were categorised on the basis of highest year of school completed. People with year 12 or equivalent as the highest year of school attended recorded significantly higher proportion of any Internet (81%) and Broadband (56%) access in comparison with groups with fewer years of schooling. About two-thirds of people with year 8 or below schooling, or who did not go to school, do not have access to any Internet (Figure 23).

Figure 23: Internet Access by the Highest Year of School Completed, by Individuals - August 2006
Graph: Figure 23: Internet Access by the Highest Year of School Completed, by Individuals—August 2006



6.2.2 Internet access by the highest level of post school educational attainment of individuals.

This analysis was based on the highest level of post school educational attainment for people living in private dwellings. The proportion of any Internet and Broadband access increased with increasing level of educational qualification. People with postgraduate level degrees have the highest proportion of any Internet (92%) and Broadband (67%) access. Within the selected categories, people with Certificate level education, had significantly lower levels of connectivity (Figure 24).

Figure 24: Internet Access by the Highest Level of Post School, Educational Attainment of Individuals - August 2006
Graph: Figure 24: Internet Access by the Highest Level of Post School, Educational  Attainment of Individuals—August 2006




6.3. Labour force status

6.3.1 Labour force status of individuals

The analysis is based on the labour force status of individuals living in private dwellings, excluding about a million individuals who did not respond to the labour force status question.


Employed people have higher levels of Internet access than unemployed people (Figure 25). Within the unemployed group, people looking for full time work have significantly lower levels of access than those looking for part time work. People not in the labour force, largely comprising older Australians, have the lowest level of connectivity. Results from HUIT surveys have produced similar findings.

Figure 25: Internet Access by the Labour Force Status of Individuals - August 2006
Graph: Figure 25: Internet Access by the Labour Force Status of Individuals—August 2006




6.4. Occupation

The analysis is based on stated occupations of people living in private dwellings. Managers, professionals, sales workers, and clerical and administrative workers have significantly higher levels of Internet access in comparison with labourers and machinery operators and drivers.

Figure 26: Internet Access by Occupation of Individuals - August 2006
Graph: Figure 26: Internet Access by Occupation of Individuals—August 2006




6.5. Place of birth

Internet access by place of birth is reported. Place of birth is separately reported for Australia and other groupings. English speaking is the group of countries, other than Australia, in which the main language is English. They include New Zealand, the United Kingdom, England, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, South Africa, The United States of America and Canada.


People born in North-East Asia have the highest level of connectivity, followed closely by people born in Southern and Central Asia. These two groups have significantly higher level of connectivity in comparison with other groups, including people born in Australia. People born in Southern and Eastern European countries have the lowest proportions of Internet (51%) and Broadband (34%) access, considerably lower than the national average.

Figure 27: Internet Access by Place of Birth of Individuals - August 2006
Graph: Figure 27: Internet Access by Place of Birth of Individuals—August 2006



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6.6. Proficiency in spoken English

A variable related to country of birth, proficiency in spoken English, has a strong influence on connectivity, with people proficient in English having considerably higher connectivity in comparison with people who do not speak the language at all, or do not speak it well (Figure 28).

Figure 28: Internet Access by Proficiency in Spoken English - August 2006
Graph: Figure 28: Internet Access by Proficiency in Spoken English—August 2006




6.7 People with need for assistance in core activities

The 2006 Census included a question to quantify the number of people with a profound or severe disability. People with a profound or severe disability are defined as those people needing help or assistance in one or more of the three core activities of self-care, mobility and communication, because of a disability, long term health condition (lasting six months or more) or old age. Such people have significantly lower access to the Internet in comparison with those who do not have any need for assistance with core activities (Figure 29).

Figure 29: Internet Access by People with Need for Assistance, in Core Activities - August 2006
Graph: Figure 29: Internet Access by People with Need for Assistance, in Core Activities—August 2006



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