Submission to the Roadmap for First Nations Digital Inclusion

ATSE welcomes the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group’s initiative to develop a Roadmap for First Nations Digital Inclusion. ATSE’s Reconciliation Action Plan promotes reconciliation through our sphere of influence, including by publicly celebrating and communicating about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations innovating and leading in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). ATSE is now in its second year of recognising excellence through the Traditional Knowledge Innovation Award. Much of this Knowledge is held in regional and remote communities and digital inclusion is a necessity for access, recording and innovating to the benefit of all communities, including those not in metropolitan locations – as well as to Australia as a whole.

This submission draws on the input of ATSE Fellows and participants in our STEM Careers programs – including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - to put forward the following evidence-based recommendations for developing the Roadmap:

Recommendation 1: Foster strong partnerships between government, industry, and First Nations organisations to co-design and co-implement digital inclusion initiatives.

Recommendation 2: Implement robust and culturally safe mechanisms for evaluating and monitoring digital inclusion programs.

Recommendation 3: Invest in (and encourage state government co-investment in) the implementation of the Roadmap for First Nations Digital Inclusion, including to support infrastructure development and maintenance, affordability, access to devices, and appropriate training and engagement programs.

Recommendation 4: Accelerate the development of digital infrastructure in remote First Nations communities.

Recommendation 5: Provide programs to support digital literacy of First Nations people and communities, tailored to local languages and cultural contexts.

Recommendation 6: Review content on government-provided services to ensure it is accessible and appropriate.

Recommendation 7: Deliver digital skills development in schools through curriculum requirements and targeted programs for First Nations students.

Recommendation 8: Establish capacity-building programs that support First Nations young people and professionals to develop and succeed in technology, innovation and entrepreneurship careers.

Recommendation 9: Include data sovereignty as a principle of the Roadmap.