The Internet and regional Australia: how rural communities can address the impact of the Internet

The Internet has been seized on by many as the potential saviour for rural Australia and this study looks at some of the reasons and examples of where this may be becoming a reality. The Internet however also poses a significant threat, further opening communities up to global forces outside their control with potentially damaging effects. This study explores both sides of this equation for rural Australia and showcases how many communities and businesses, here and overseas, are dealing with it. Chapters include: the Internet and regional Australia - the demand side; the digital divide; Internet access in regional Australia - the supply side; e-commerce and regional Australia; regional business and community partnerships; key factors for a community in harnessing the benefits of the Internet. The author concludes that the real winners from the uptake of the Internet in regional Australia will be those that maximise the opportunities that e-commerce and the Internet can deliver. The losers will be those communities who passively adopt the technology without harnessing it to assist their communities to grow.