FAQ
Publicis Sapient’s Digital Citizen Report 2024 examines how Australians use, experience, and think about digital government services. Based on responses from more than 5,000 people across Australia, the report highlights strong satisfaction with digital services, alongside growing concerns about inclusion, trust, privacy, and the role of AI.
What is the Publicis Sapient Digital Citizen Report 2024?
The Publicis Sapient Digital Citizen Report 2024 is research into how Australians engage with digital government services. It explores citizen expectations, experiences, adoption patterns, and trust. Publicis Sapient describes it as one of the largest annual private surveys on digital government services in Australia.
Who is the report for?
The report is for public sector leaders and teams looking to understand how citizens experience digital government services in Australia. It is relevant for people working on service design, accessibility, adoption, digital identity, trust, and AI in government. The findings are positioned to help government improve how services are delivered and accessed.
What does the report say about overall satisfaction with digital government services?
The report says overall satisfaction is high. Publicis Sapient found that 93% of Australians were satisfied with the overall quality of digital government services. It also found strong satisfaction with government life-event services among users.
How widely are digital government services used in Australia?
The report says digital government services are widely used, but not universally adopted in every situation. In the 2024 findings, 85% of Australians used online government services in the past 12 months. At the same time, many citizens still do not use digital services available to them during important life events.
What problem does the report identify most clearly?
The report identifies a growing digital divide in Australia. While digital services are working well for many people, lower-income households, unemployed Australians, people without university education, rural communities, older citizens, and some minority groups are less likely to benefit equally. Publicis Sapient argues that stronger inclusion efforts are needed so digital services reach the people who need them most.
Which groups are less likely to engage with digital government services?
The report says several groups show lower engagement. These include unemployed Australians, lower-income households, people without university education, rural Australians, older Australians, and some Indigenous and minority respondents. The findings also note that people in precarious financial situations often find services harder to use and are less likely to trust government with their data.
How is the cost-of-living crisis affecting digital service adoption?
The report says financial stress is making digital access harder for many Australians. Publicis Sapient found that the number of Australians describing their financial situation as precarious increased by 85% year over year. It also found that 33% of households earning less than $100,000 struggled to find, use, or understand online government services, compared with 23% of higher-income households.
What does the report say about life-event digital services?
The report says life-event services are a clear success story, but they are still underused. Users reported a 93% satisfaction rate for these services. However, nearly half of people who experienced a life event in the last 12 months did not use an available online service, and many did not even think of using one.
Why are some Australians not using available digital government services?
The report says the issue is not only access, but also awareness, trust, and ease of use. Some citizens struggle to find, use, or understand services. Others do not think of using online government services during key life events, or they are discouraged by fragmented journeys, low confidence, privacy concerns, or poor connectivity.
What barriers to adoption does the research highlight?
The report highlights several barriers to adoption. These include financial stress, poor digital infrastructure, high costs, unreliable network or mobile coverage in some areas, limited digital skills, lack of awareness, and concerns about privacy and data security. Publicis Sapient also points to service accessibility and human-centric design as important factors.
What does the report say about trust in government digital services?
The report says trust is a growing challenge. Publicis Sapient found that 52% of Australians had lost trust in the government around data security and privacy issues. It also reported a rise in privacy concern levels compared with the previous year, with trust declining especially sharply among younger citizens and those in financially precarious situations.
How do privacy and data security concerns affect adoption?
The report says privacy and security concerns can slow digital adoption. When citizens worry about how their data is protected, they are less enthusiastic about digital services and less likely to trust government platforms. Publicis Sapient describes security, privacy, and data governance as foundational to the government’s digital agenda.
What does the report say about AI in government services?
The report says Australians are broadly open to AI in government services, but they want strong safeguards. Publicis Sapient found that 55% of Australians supported extensive use of AI to improve services. At the same time, 94% had concerns about AI, and 92% wanted government regulation of it.
What kind of AI governance and transparency do citizens want?
The report says citizens want visible governance, regulation, and transparency. Nearly half of respondents wanted full transparency into the code behind AI systems. The research suggests that AI adoption in government needs clear guardrails, risk management, and communication if governments want to maintain trust.
What does the report say about digital identity and myGovID?
The report says myGovID is gaining traction and is associated with stronger digital engagement. Publicis Sapient found that 73% of Australians had a myGovID login in 2024, up from 60% in 2023. It also reported that 91% of users had a positive experience, 83% found it trustworthy, and 94% believed myGovID makes it easier to access government services.
How do myGovID users differ from non-users?
The report says myGovID users report stronger experiences and confidence in digital government. Users were more than twice as likely to rate their experience as excellent compared with non-users. They were also more likely to feel safe trusting the government with their data and more likely to engage with federal apps.
What opportunities for improvement does Publicis Sapient highlight?
Publicis Sapient highlights opportunities to improve inclusion, accessibility, awareness, trust, and service design. The research points to expanding digital inclusion programs, improving infrastructure, addressing affordability and skills gaps, and designing services around the needs of vulnerable groups. It also suggests that clearer communication about privacy, security, and AI governance is critical.
Does the report recommend an omnichannel approach?
Yes, the broader research and related insights support an omnichannel approach. Publicis Sapient notes that digital should not become a barrier for people who are unable or unwilling to use online services on their own. Alternative access points such as phone support, in-person help, and assisted digital support can help ensure no one is left behind.
How was the research conducted?
The research was conducted online in February 2024 and included 5,061 participants across Australia. Publicis Sapient says the sample reflected a broad range of demographic groups and the country’s population. The report also segments respondents by age and includes a minority classification covering ethnicity, cultural background, or religion.
What can readers do if they want more than the headline findings?
Readers can download the full report and book a deep dive session with Publicis Sapient’s experts. Publicis Sapient says these deep dive sessions provide exclusive custom views of the report data. The wider content hub also includes related articles on digital adoption, digital divide, AI, trust, life-event services, and digital identity.