GOAL: By 2020, the internet usage gap between households and businesses in capital cities and those in regional areas will have narrowed significantly.

To help achieve this goal, the Government will:

• Expand the Digital Local Government program

The Government will extend the Digital Local Government program to enable around fifteen additional local councils, including many in regional areas, to take advantage of the NBN to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the services they deliver.

• Provide free Wi-Fi access to remote Indigenous communities

The Government will progressively adapt community satellite telephones to provide public Wi-Fi services to remote Indigenous communities.

The transition to a digital economy will provide a transformational opportunity to regional communities across Australia. More business activity will be conducted through high speed broadband. It will make regions more liveable and attractive to new and existing residents by enabling greater digital enabled access to services and social connections. Such opportunities for economic growth, diversification and wellbeing contribute to stronger regions and a strong national economy. The NBN represents an unprecedented investment in telecommunications infrastructure in regional Australia.

See Chapter 18: Regional of the Advancing Australia as a Digital Economy: Update to the National Digital Economy Strategy for more information