Citizens Advice Bureau Whanganui backs petition against digital exclusion

Carolyn McCully (left) and Trevor Woon from Citizens Advice Bureau Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley

People in Whanganui helping others access services online say a shift to digital from government departments have left many in the community in the dark.

A Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) petition calling for accessibility and inclusion standards for public servants was debated by politicians at Parliament for an hour last week.

The CAB petition challenged the approach being taken by the Government in its digital transformation of the public service - including the retreat of agencies from being physically present in communities, CAB deputy chief executive Andrew Hubbard said.

The petition gathered 7394 signatures.

Citizens Advice Bureau Whanganui chairwoman Carolyn McCully said government departments weren't assisting in the same way they used to.

"They aren't sending out forms and they're insisting things be done online.

"The reality is, there is a big segment of the population who still aren't, for a variety of reasons, able to participate in that."

A report released by CAB in 2020 stated that over a three-month period, the organisation recorded 4379 inquiries where the client was experiencing digital exclusion - 10 per cent of all inquiries.

That could mean lack of access to a computer, literacy, language, finances or a disability.

Eighteen per cent of those aged 60-69 had been excluded, with 13 per cent aged 30-39 also affected.

"You might think that it's just older people, but it's not," McCully said.

"Fourteen per cent of those aged 40-49 were struggling.

"It's right across the board."

Hubbard said it was getting harder to access human support from government agencies, but people's needs for face-to-face services and timely support via the phone were "as real as ever".

A book-a-librarian service is available at the Whanganui District Library. Photo / Bevan Conley

"There are overseas examples where governments are doing this well, such as in New South Wales [Australia] and Canada, that our Minister for Public Services and Public Services Commissioner should be looking at and learning from.

"These models of a one-stop shop for public services ensure that people can access anything they need from the government in person, online or over the phone."

Whanganui District Library learning and discovery librarian Rachel Smith said she ran courses in digital literacy for those over 65.

The library also offers a book-a-librarian service, which can help people of any age.

"When the [Covid-19] vaccine certificates came out, we provided help to a lot of people to get them," Smith said.

For many people, that also meant setting up an email address for the first time.

"We also quite frequently help people communicate online with government departments, filling in forms and so on.

"It could be things like applying for rentals or applying for jobs as well."

Smith said her impression was there had been an increasing interest in the digital literacy courses.

"In spite of what some people say about libraries becoming extinct, I don't think we will while there are people out there still needing digital support."

McCully said major issues facing clients included not being able to use cheques and not having access to physical documentation for agencies and services.

"Some people don't want to have direct debit payments from their account because they can't be entirely certain how their money flow is going to go.

"I know in Australia they are already talking about doing away with cash, a cashless society.

"Hopefully, that won't happen here in a hurry because that would be a bit much for people to take."

Now the ball was rolling, things would become more and more digitally inclined, McCully said.

"What we have to do is encourage government organisations or telephone and power companies to understand the problems and work with community to address them.

"Hopefully, they take a step back and understanding there's a bit of gap that we need to fill".

Following the debate on the topic at Parliament last Thursday, Hubbard said there was clear cross-party support backing CAB.

"From the Greens to ACT, there was general agreement that there is an issue with accessibility to public services."

It resonated with MPs because they experienced similar problems in their own electorate offices, Hubbard said.

The digital-first approach had just "ploughed on" without a real consideration about who would be left behind and how to deal with it.

"The challenge now is how to translate the support from politicians into actual change of how public services operate," Hubbard said.

"We are working in conjunction with some services about problems and gaps.

"Inland Revenue has been really receptive to the issue we've raised around MyIR for instance."

Hubbard said one slight disappointment was the lack of interaction with the Minister for the Public Service, Chris Hipkins.

"Yes, digital is good, let's make it efficient and easy to use, but there will always be people who can't or don't want to access digital services.

"We have to look at how services are accessible to everyone."

Citizens Advice Bureau Whanganui can be reached on 06 343 9533.

The Whanganui District Library can be contacted on 06 349 1000 and SeniorNet, an organisation that helps older people get up to speed with the latest internet technology, can be found on 06 345 9772.