Migrant Communities and E-Government in Australia

Australia is one of the most culturally diverse and prosperous societies in the world, and such heterogeneity or pluralism has both advantages and challenges. The Australian government must provide support to and for the integration of migrants, especially among those with a non-English-speaking background (NESB). Investments in information systems (IS) have resulted in the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to raise public awareness of the country’s policies, programmes and services. However, communication issues have recently emerged between the government’s online IS and the NESB migrants and their communities. Based on their increasing significance in Australia’s socio-economic and political landscape, it is necessary not only to identify and understand the needs of NESB migrants, but also to determine the barriers (both perceived and actual) that NESB migrants experience with regard to government online services (otherwise termed ‘e-government’).