Computers 'By Example'

The Federal Attorney General’s department is hoping to lead by example with the recent donation of 50 superseded Apple Mac computers to 11 community groups that support older Australians and people with a disability.

The department says the donation is a practical response to recommendations of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s report which was tabled in Parliament last year on access to electronic commerce and new technology services to this group of people.

The report found that a wide range of physical, financial and psychological factors might inhibit some Australians from using information such as the Internet and electronic banking.

However the report shows that addressing these barriers is not necessarily difficult but rather requires planning and awareness.

The Attorney General’s department says Government, business and community groups can work together to achieve this.

In fact Attorney General Daryl Williams says he is writing to his ministerial colleagues to encourage other government departments and agencies to consider his department’s lead and make similar donations of superseded computer equipment.

Recipients of the donated computers are the Deafness Council of NSW; the Illawarra Disability Trust; the Council on the Ageing (NSW); Macarthur Disability Services; the Lifestyle Assistance and Accommodation Service Inc (South Australia); the Victorian Council of Deaf People; the Autism Association of South Australia; the Job-Link Service (Northern Territory); the Northern Tasmanian Older Persons Reference Group; Oakdale Services (Tasmania); and the University of the 3rd Age (ACT).

The Attorney General says the donations will enable older Australians and people with a disability to overcome some of the difficulties they face in accessing computer hardware suitable for using on-line services.

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