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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 4 Hansard (3 April) . . Page.. 1506 ..
Funding details for digital divide initiatives were provided in answer to Question on Notice 473.
3. The outlook on the digital divide has changed significantly since the Digital Divide Taskforce, primarily as a result of the Government's consultative process. Input from the Community IT Advisory Group has informed this Government throughout the development of the Community IT Access Plan. This Plan has established the strategic framework that will allow the Government to work toward closing the digital divide in the ACT.
The wide ranging initiatives in the Plan include: IT awareness raising among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; providing IT access to the mobility impaired and their careers; investigating the establishment of a PC Reuse scheme; and providing IT training and access for disability housing residents.
In addition to increasing public IT access, the Plan places an emphasis on teaching people basic IT skills which will allow them to benefit from the new technologies. In every respect the approach taken by this Government has improved the outlook on the digital divide.
4. Unspent funds of $198,000 from the Digital Divide grants program of 2001-2002 were rolled into this financial year. This provides for a total budget allocation of $724,000 for 2002-2003.
5. The rollover from 2001-2002 digital divide funds has been made available for use in supporting the strategic initiatives identified in the Community IT Access Plan.
6. The cost of producing the IT training guide "Welcome to the world of computers and the Internet"was $20,137.
a) Originally developed by the Canberra Institute of Technology as part of the IT roving trainer program, this training guide has proved to be a valuable resource for people with no or limited IT skills. Anecdotal evidence for this comes not only from clients but also from reports that some community groups with access to the limited copies produced by CIT were photocopying the booklet for their clients. Prior to its release the guide was updated to reflect feedback from the CIT trainers and community groups and as such contains information that is centralised, easy to follow and targeted.
b) "Welcome to the world of computers and the Internet"is available to the public, free of charge, through ACT Public Libraries, ACT Government Shopfronts, various community groups and the digital divide website:
www.cmd.act.gov.au/digitaldivide
[Attachments to the reply were lodged with the Chamber Support Office].
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