The Digital Inclusion Expert Panel has been established to support the work of the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group in accelerating progress towards closing the digital inclusion gap for First Nations Australians.
The Expert Panel will provide expert advice to the Advisory Group on telecommunications, infrastructure, data and broadcasting issues as requested. The Expert Panel will rigorously test existing gaps in the evidence base and identify technical and/or data-based solutions to address digital inclusion issues affecting First Nations people. It will also undertake detailed analysis of the available evidence for how digital inclusion barriers – such as access to the internet, affordable services and devices, and digital literacy – can be addressed.
Membership of the Expert Panel is open to experts identified by the Chair. Current members include:
- Ms Lauren Ganley, the Head of Telstra’s First Nations Strategy and Engagement Team
- Dr Daniel Featherstone, a Senior Research Fellow at RMIT who leads the Mapping the Digital Gap project
- Ms Gillian Mailman, the Managing Director of Fibre Optics NQ
- Dr Scott Winch, the Director of Data Sovereignty for the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal peaks
- Mr Che Cockatoo-Collins, the Executive Manager of Indigenous Affairs at NBN Co
- Professor Ellie Rennie, a Principal Research Fellow at RMIT’s Digital Ethnography Research Centre
- Mr Neil Turner, the Manager of Pilbara and Kimberley Aboriginal Media
Members of the Expert Panel may attend Advisory Group meetings and are able to participate in discussions, at the discretion of the Chair. However, they are not able to vote in the formal decisions made by the Advisory Group. They are expected to advise the Chair of any potential conflicts of interest which could impact on their perceived independence.
Contributions to the work of the Advisory Group and Expert Panel are welcome and can be sent to: FirstNationsDigitalInclusion@infrastructure.gov.au