The Dual Risks of Digital Exclusion and Unaffordability of Telecommunications in Lower‐Income Australian Households

IF 1 4区经济学 Q3 ECONOMICS

Australian Economic Review Pub Date : 2024-07-15 DOI:10.1111/1467-8462.12569

Ewa Orzechowska‐Fischer, Emily Rose, Robert Breunig

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Abstract

We analyse household telecommunications spending in Australia over the period 2006–2021 using Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey data. We find the affordability of telecommunications is improving, and that telecommunications spending behaves like other core necessities, such as food. We find households in which members are not employed, have relatively low education, are elderly, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders or immigrants, speak English poorly, reside alone, or have long‐term health conditions are at heightened risk of digital exclusion due to lower spending on telecommunications. Households located in rural areas, with children or with members that work from home are at higher risk of digital exclusion as a consequence of overspending on telecommunications. Overall, the number of people at risk of digital exclusion from inadequate spending or overspending is quite small in Australia. The risks appear to have decreased during COVID‐19. Telecommunications is a core necessity but given the small number of people at risk of exclusion, policies addressing affordability should be highly targeted.

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澳大利亚低收入家庭的数字排斥和电信负担不起的双重风险

我们利用澳大利亚家庭收入和劳动力动态（HILDA）调查数据分析了 2006-2021 年期间澳大利亚的家庭电信支出。我们发现，人们对电信的负担能力正在提高，电信支出的表现与食品等其他核心必需品类似。我们发现，那些家庭成员没有工作、受教育程度相对较低、年长、原住民或托雷斯海峡岛民或移民、英语水平较低、独居或有长期健康问题的家庭，由于电信支出较低而面临更高的数字排斥风险。位于农村地区、有孩子或成员在家工作的家庭，由于电信支出过高，数字排斥的风险更高。总体而言，澳大利亚因支出不足或超支而面临数字排斥风险的人数很少。在 COVID-19 期间，这种风险似乎有所下降。电信是核心必需品，但鉴于面临排斥风险的人数较少，解决负担能力的政策应具有高度针对性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Australian Economic Review ECONOMICS-

CiteScore

1.90

自引率

10.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： An applied economics journal with a strong policy orientation, The Australian Economic Review publishes high-quality articles applying economic analysis to a wide range of macroeconomic and microeconomic topics relevant to both economic and social policy issues. Produced by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, it is the leading journal of its kind in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. While it is of special interest to Australian academics, students, policy makers, and others interested in the Australian economy, the journal also considers matters of international interest.