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However, a proportion of Australians either use the internet infrequently, or have never used the internet at all, and hence have limited skills in its use and knowledge of it and therefore limited participation in the digital economy. .
Approximately 15 per cent of the population aged 14 and over are estimated to be light users (defined as using the internet less than once a week), and a further 13 per cent were estimated to have never used the internet. .
Figure 1: Australians' use and access to the internet.
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source, April 2008 "June 2008, 14+ years old, N = 5,175 all respondents.
The links between internet access and factors such as age, education and income levels have been clearly established in previous research, in particular the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report, Patterns of Internet Access in Australia 8146.55.00, 2006. This study based on data collected in the 2006 census showed that characteristics such as income, family structure and level of education influenced take-up of the internet. Some of the key findings from this study include the following: .
Households with an income of $2,000 or more per week were three times more likely to have broadband access than households on less than $600 per week.
Australians with postgraduate degrees were 83 per cent more likely to have broadband access at home than people with no tertiary qualifications.
Families with children under 15 years of age or dependant students were three to four times more likely to have internet access at home than other family structures.
Australians in low-skill occupations were 27 per cent less likely to have broadband access at home than those employed in high-skill occupations such as managers and professionals.
Unemployed Australians were 12 per cent less likely to have broadband access at home.
1.5 Internet and broadband connection at home.
The ABS recorded 6.2 million home internet connections in Australia at June 2008.
