27.5.13 Cybersafety Committee Report

Mr HAWKE (Mitchell) (10:20): On
behalf of the Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety I present the committee's
report entitled Cybersafety for seniors: a
worthwhile journey.

In accordance with standing order 39(f) the report was made a
parliamentary paper.

Mr HAWKE: As Deputy Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety I want to
speak to the report of the committee's inquiry into cybersafety and senior
Australians. I should start by acknowledging students of the MET School from
Kellyville who are here from my electorate. Welcome to the national parliament;
great to see you.

The speed of the information technology revolution has meant
that many older Australians now find themselves on the wrong side of the digital
divide. Indeed, we have all spoken in this chamber about the pace and speed of
change, and I know students at the MET School at Kellyville understand the
internet and technology revolution. Fear of cybercrime is one of the reasons
many seniors are not active online. During the inquiry into cybersafety for
seniors the committee was told that it is imperative that everything possible is
done to help every senior Australian become active online because, in the near
future, seniors who are not online will become a seriously disadvantaged group
as government and businesses are increasingly using the internet as their sole
means of interacting with people. Although there are many seniors who are active
online and find it a comfortable transition, there are many seniors who did not
have the benefit of working with computers before retirement and now they fear
the internet because of cybersafety issues. This is, of course, a generational
issue. This generation which has not grown up with the technology and computers
available to them will be superseded by every single generation which
has.

Evidence was taken during the inquiry showing that education
and training is the key to helping seniors move into the cyberworld with
confidence and skill. This was similar to the committee's inquiries into
cybersafety and the young, with education—from academics, from parents groups,
from any sector and from the internet industry as well—being the key for all age
groups. Every sector says to us that education and training are the best
possible methods of improving the situation in relation to cybersafety, rather
than heavy-handed government approaches. The committee found that, across the
nation, public libraries and seniors' organisations have taken up the challenge
to teach seniors about cybersafety. Several seniors groups and representatives
from the public libraries addressed the committee at public hearings. Each told
the committee that they cannot meet existing demand from seniors for cybersafety
training due to lack of resources, but with increased funding they could do more
training.

The Australian Federal Police very seriously told the committee
that cybercrime targets everyone, and even cybersavvy people can become victims,
so it is up to each individual to take the same degree of responsibility for
their own actions when online as they do in everyday life. The AFP also said
that keeping seniors cybersafe requires a multifaceted approach combining the
right mix of law enforcement, policy and legislation, education and some level
of user vigilance. There is no doubt that governments in jurisdictions across
the world are still wrestling with the right formula for legislating the online
space, for protecting people online and for providing them with the inherent
legal rights that they have every day online, and that is still a work in
progress.

Access to the internet was found to be a barrier for some
seniors, particularly those who are housebound or who live on low incomes in
remote places. Those living in metropolitan areas and larger regional centres
who do not have an internet connection in their home can generally find free
access to the internet in public libraries and various seniors clubs. The
Broadband for Seniors initiative, run by the Department of Families, Housing,
Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, provides free access to computers and
broadband internet as well as free online training for seniors who are able to
access one of the 2,000 Broadband for Seniors kiosks. These kiosks are in
community centres, retirement villages, libraries and senior citizens clubs
across Australia, but the committee has recommended that this worthwhile
initiative could benefit from much wider publicity.

The committee found that when seniors experience cybercrime
there is a lot of confusion about how to report the crime and therefore the
committee recommended that a centralised user-friendly reporting and cybersafety
awareness portal should be developed with links to relevant regulators. Indeed,
access to the relevant regulation is a critical issue. If we are not getting the
reports of crime then we are not able to deal with it effectively. The site
should feature a dedicated seniors reporting tab backed up by a telephone
service which links individuals to appropriate victim support, training and
other advice. The committee notes that the government has recently launched a
seniors helpline under its Broadband for Seniors initiative but believes that
there would be merit in centralising reporting and support mechanisms for all
cybercrime victims who need support or advice.

The committee also recommended that cyber awareness campaigns
using clear and practical messages about cyber safety could feature on the
cybersafety awareness portal. The committee recommended that it would be
beneficial for everyone's cyber safety if the government were to establish a
consultative working group with wide stakeholder representation to coordinate
and promote government and industry partnerships and initiatives.