That ICPA (Aust) advocate to the Australian Government for the immediate reinstatement and continuation of funding for the Regional Tech Hub.
The Regional Tech Hub has provided an essential service for rural, regional and remote Australians by assisting families, students, businesses and communities to improve access to reliable telecommunications and digital connectivity.
For geographically isolated families, access to dependable internet and telecommunications is critical for children’s education. The Regional Tech Hub has played a significant role in education specific needs by:
• assisting families to understand and improve connectivity options that best support their children’s learning needs;
• supporting troubleshooting and digital literacy to allow uninterrupted online learning;
• providing practical, independent and accessible support tailored to rural and remote communities with fit for purpose understanding.
Without ongoing Government funding, rural and remote Australians risk losing access to an important support service at a time when digital access is increasingly essential for equitable participation in education, employment, healthcare and community life.
Equitable access to digital connectivity is fundamental to educational opportunity and community sustainability in rural and remote Australia. The continuation of the Regional Tech Hub is essential to ensuring isolated families are not disadvantaged by location.
