Why don't people use the Internet to contact

Question 57 asked respondents who did not mention using the Internet to contact government (3604) why they had not used this means. The main reason given was that they did not have a computer, modem or software (29%). The other main reason was that they did not need to use the Internet to contact the government (23%). Computer skills and lack of Internet experience were other clear reasons (8% & 8% respectively).

Of those respondents who did not use the Internet to access government 60% had in fact used the Internet for other reasons (2566). It should be noted, though, that this figure is derived from Question 58 (see below), which included people who had not had any government contact in the preceding 12 months.

The only response type for this question that was significant in terms of gender was that 36% of females did not have a computer, modem or software. This reason, along with 'I don't have computer skills', was also cited significantly frequently by respondents over 70 years of age, super annuitants (47%) and other beneficiaries, those living alone, and those on incomes of between zero and $19,999. Clearly there is some overlap between these groups, i.e. respondents aged over 70 are likely to be super annuitants and on low incomes. Respondents with partners and/or children were significantly less likely to give the first answer and were significantly more likely to choose 'I don't need to use the Internet', along with 'The Internet might not be up to date' and 'The Internet is too time-consuming'. Wage-earners were also significantly more likely to choose 'I don't need to use the Internet'.

Samoan respondents were significantly more likely to say that they did not have a computer than other groups (53%), although the number of responses is small. Europeans were more likely to say that the internet was too time-consuming.

Respondents living in cities were significantly more likely to state that they do use the Internet (61%). These respondents were significantly less likely to give the reasons as 'The Internet might not be up to date', 'There are problems with links that don't work' and 'Government websites only provide information - you can't do anything'. Respondents living in towns were significantly more likely to respond that 'The Internet might not be up to date' and 'Government websites only provide information - you can't do anything'. There were no significant results from respondents living in rural areas. Upper North Islanders were significantly more likely to respond that they did not need to use the Internet, while lower North Islanders were more likely to mention concerns regarding whether the Internet is up to date. South Islanders were likely to respond that 'The Internet is too time-consuming' and 'I don't know where to find information on the Internet' .

It should be noted that the remaining questions included people who had not had contact with government, and were excluded from the previous questions. They did not include people who never use the Internet.