The document summarizes key findings from a survey of 400 Australians about digitizing government services: 1) Australians prefer online communication and transactions with government but have less experience than with commercial entities. Security, accessibility, and convenience are top priorities. 2) A majority would use a central online system if it's secure and easy to use. Improved access and convenience are main benefits while some worry about security, job losses, and digital exclusion. 3) Online is the most preferred way to engage with government, followed by phone, in-person at an office, and a single access point for all services. Support for digitization is high due to convenience but concerns include security, accessibility, and personalization.

1. DIGITAL CITIZENS SURVEY
MAY 2014

2. 2
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
WHEN?
May 8-11, 2014
WHO?
Representative sample of 400
Australians aged 18+, including
42% Centrelink customers
WHAT?
Telephone survey, averaging 18
minutes in length

3. 3
 Australians are currently less comfortable corresponding with and transacting with
government online than they are with other commercial entities, but this appears to be
largely a matter of experience.
 Ultimately, online is the number one preferred way for communicating and
transacting with government, with 41% of Australians identifying online as their preferred
channel, followed by phone at 22%, in person at a government office 17% and in person at
a single office for all services 14%.
 The majority of Australians (70%) also agree they are likely to use a central online
system for communicating and transacting with government services, provided it is
secure and easy to use. In fact almost half of Australians (47%) agree they would be very
likely to use this service.
 Support for greater digitisation of government services is high and the benefit of
convenience is already obviously to Australians. Top of mind support for a move
towards greater digitisation of and online access to government services, transactions and
communications is high, at 65%. Unprompted, 64% of Australians immediately identify
aspects of convenience as the benefit of this move.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4. 4
 Australians are most likely to agree that greater digitisation of government services will
save the government money (59% agreement), increase the likelihood of people using the
service if all government services can be accessed through one point of contact (57%
agreement), and that online will enable access to government to be faster (54%
agreement).
 The greatest concerns that will need to be addressed to both grow support and address
potential concerns, include:
• Continued accessibility to information and services for all Australians, including
those who are not comfortable with or don’t have access to the internet
• The benefit of improved access and convenience; and
• The priority for the highest of security standards.
 Additional information campaigns targeting lower income households, the unemployed and
older Australians will be particularly important to maximise community support.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

5. 5
76
71
71
70
67
66
52
52
52
51
42
41
40
36
33
25
Paying bills
Booking airfares and hotels
Managing your day to day banking
Renewing your vehicle registration
Transferring money to someone else
Buying items from Australian retailers
Buying items from international retailers
Searching for info on govt payments & services
Receiving correspondence from government online
Completing and lodging your tax return
Reporting information to government agencies
Claiming government benefits
Making a private health insurance claim
Applying for government benefits
Applying for a credit card or loan
Receiving assistance via a virtual assistant or live chat
%
Total Comfortable with Online Services and Transactions
(4-5 on 1-5 Scale)
CURRENTLY LESS COMFORT WITH MOST
ONLINE GOVERNMENT TRANSACTIONS
Base: Split sample (n=200)
Q2. I am now going to read out some services and transactions that some people currently undertake online. I would like you to rate how comfortable you are undertaking that service or
transaction online on a scale from 1 to 5, where a 1 means you are very uncomfortable undertaking that service or transaction online, and a 5 means you are very comfortable. If you
have never undertaken this service or transaction or you are not sure, that’s ok, just say so.

6. 6
HALF OF THOSE WHO ARE AWARE OF
MYGOV HAVE NOT UTILISED THE SERVICE
NO - not aware of
myGov
58%
YES - aware of
myGov and used it
19%
YES - aware of
myGov service but
have not used it
23%
Awareness and Usage of myGov
Base: Total (n=400)
42% of
Australians
aware of
myGov
Q4. The myGov service allows people to access government services from Medicare, Centrelink, Child Support, the Department of Health, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and
the National Disability Insurance Agency, using one user name and password online and via mobile apps. Before today, were you aware of the federal government’s myGov
service?

7. 7
65
31
34
8
25
9
15
2
58
21
36
10
29
8
21
3
TOTAL SUPPORT
Strongly support
Somewhat support
NEITHER OPPOSE NOR SUPPORT
TOTAL OPPOSE
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
CAN'T SAY
%
Initial Support for Greater Digital Government
Total
Centrelink customers
MAJORITY INITIAL SUPPORT FOR GREATER
DIGITISATION
Base: Total (n=400); Centrelink customers (n=172)
Q5. The Australian government is currently considering undertaking greater digitisation of government services – that is, improving online access to government services,
transactions and communications. On first impressions, do you support or oppose the proposal to move towards greater digitisation of and online access to government services,
transactions and communications?

8. 8
CONVENIENCE, BY FAR THE BIGGEST TOP
OF MIND BENEFIT
64
23
13
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
Convenience / ease of access / saves time
Faster service delivery / payment / transactions
Cheaper for government
More transparent / open government
Centralisation
Saves paper/environmentally friendly
Cuts down on red tape / bureaucracy
Reduces size of the Australian Public Service
Improved access for culturally & linguistically diverse
Less human errors
Improved access for people with disabilities
Help bring the budget back to surplus
Other
None
%
Unprompted Benefits of Digitisation
Base: Total (n=400)
Q6. What, if anything, do you think would be the benefits of moving to greater digitisation and online accessibility of government services, transactions and communications?

9. 9
SECURITY, COST SAVINGS, ACCESS &
CONVENIENCE ALL KEY FOR SUPPORT
59
57
54
46
43
The government will save money
Having access to all government services &
transactions in one place will make it simpler & people
are more likely to use it
You can be connected to the right information and
transact with government faster
Provided the highest standards of security are
applied, it can make personal information more
secure
Accessing government services online means it is
easier to be understood no matter who you are
Prompted Benefits of Greater Digitisation
%
Base: Total (n=400)
Q9. The following statements and claims detail some of reasons people have given for supporting the move towards greater digitisation of government services. Using a scale of 1
to 5, where 1 means strongly disagree and 5 means strongly agree, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with it as a reason to move towards greater digitisation of
government services.

10. 10
LESS CERTAINTY AS TO THE TOP OF MIND
CONCERNS
39
24
11
11
8
2
22
15
11
2
2
19
14
4
2
18
17
1
8
1
17
NET SECURITY CONCERNS
Security of online transactions
Potential for fraud / internet fraud
Don’t trust government / privacy concerns / Big Brother effect
Privacy concerns relating to offshore storage
All information in the one place
NET ACCESS CONCERNS
Not all Australians are comfortable using the internet
Not all Australians can access the internet
More difficult to access for people with disabilities
More difficult to access for culturally and linguistically diverse
NET USAGE CONCERNS
More difficult / confusing / hard to find right info
Quality/useability/flexibility of website
IT/Broadband issues
NET CONTACT CONCERNS
Less personalised service/ability to ask questions
Speed of response slower
JOB LOSSES IN PUBLIC SECTOR
OTHER
CAN'T SAY
%
Unprompted Concerns of Digitisation
Base: Total (n=400)
Q7. What, if anything, are your concerns when it comes to moving to greater digitisation and online accessibility of government services, transactions and communications?

11. 11
ACCESS, SECURITY ISSUES, USEABILITY &
JOB LOSSES KEY CONCERNS
68
65
65
62
56
53
Some Australians will miss out because not
comfortable using the internet
Privacy concerns associated with offshore storage
of personal information
More security risks and risk of identity theft with all
personal information in the one place
Frontline public servants, such as Centrelink staff,
will lose their jobs
More likelihood that people will get confused or
not be able to understand information
Security concerns having to enter account details
online to receive government payments
Prompted Concerns of Greater Digitisation
%
Base: Total (n=400)
Q10. The following statements and claims detail some concerns people have about the move towards greater digitisation of government services. Using a scale of 1 to 5, where 1
means strongly disagree and 5 means strongly agree, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with it as a reason to be concerned about the move towards greater
digitisation of government services.

12. 12
IMPROVING CUSTOMER ACCESS &
CONVENIENCE NUMBER ONE BENEFIT
39
30
20
3
8
39
28
20
5
8
Improving customer access and convenience
Reducing costs for government
Cutting down on bureaucracy and red tape
within government
Other
Can't say
%
Most Important Reason for Greater Digitisation of Government
Total
Centrelink customers
Base: Total (n=400); Centrelink customers (n=172)
Q12. Which of the following is the most important reason for the Australian government to consider moving towards greater digitisation of government transactions and services?

13. 13
MAJORITY OF AUSTRALIANS AGREE THEY
WOULD USE A CENTRAL ONLINE SYSTEM
Base: Total (n=400); Centrelink customers (n=172)
70
47
23
8
21
9
13
69
46
23
6
25
9
15
TOTAL LIKELY
Very likely
Somewhat likely
NEUTRAL
TOTAL UNLIKELY
Not very likely
Not at all likely
%
Likely to use a Central Online Government System
Total
Centrelink customers
Q13. How likely would you be to use a central online system for communicating and transacting with government services, provided it were secure and easy to use?

14. 14
70
78
81
73
76
74
69
80
81
77
80
TOTAL
Male
18-49
NSW/ACT
WA/SA/NT/TAS
Metro
Centrelink customers
Family payment customers
Aware myGov
Working
$50K+
%
Profile of Those Who Agree They are Likely to Use a Central Online
Government System
PROFILE OF THOSE LIKELY TO USE A
CENTRAL SYSTEM
Base: Agree they are likely to use a central online
system (n=263)
Q13. How likely would you be to use a central online system for communicating and transacting with government services, provided it were secure and easy to use?

15. 15
ONLINE THE NUMBER ONE PREFERENCE
Base: Total (n=400); Centrelink customers (n=172)
41
22
17
14
4
2
35
25
20
16
2
2
Online
By phone
Over the counter, in person at a government
office
In person at a single office for all government
services
Via self-service kiosk or terminal at a
government office like Australia Post
Can't say
%
Preferred form of Communicating and Transacting with
Government
Total
Centrelink customers
Q14. What is ultimately your preferred way for communicating and transacting with government?

16. 16
KEY CONCERNS AND BENEFITS
• Security and privacy
• Access – some disadvantaged
• Usage issues
• Less personalised
• Job losses
Concerns
• Convenient, fast and quick
• Greater access
• Greater security for personal info
• Cost savings for government
Benefits

17. DIGITAL CITIZENS SURVEY
MAY 2014