 Good morning, everyone. Thank you, Andrea. And many thanks to the International Institute of Communications and to Dr Hesse and ICT Qatar for the kind invitation to give the regulators perspective on digital communications literacy at today's forum. I will start. I will start with why the Australian Communications and Media Authority thinks that digital communications literacy is important and tell you about our approach in the area. Firstly, a little background. The ACMA is a converged regulator with responsibilities for broadcasting, the internet, telecommunications and radio communications, including a range of consumer protection measures. Convergence poses many challenges for the current media and communications legislative framework. In response, the ACMA, while concentrating on its core regulatory tasks, is also focused on future trends such as the development of next generation networks and issues relating to regulating new services and cross-platform content in an increasingly digital world. The ACMA's research arm plays a vital role in that focus to identify and understand changing consumer, citizen and business uses of communications technologies and inform the ACMA with evidence that contributes to its understanding of regulatory issues in this dynamic environment. Beginning in 2007, the ACMA committed to a digital media literacy research program and I lead the researchers responsible for that work. What is the ACMA's view of the meaning of digital communications literacy or is it sometimes called digital media literacy, digital literacy or literacies for the 21st century? Terms or expressions which are often used interchangeably these days. They are the subset of a broader umbrella concept of media literacy which is understood as the ability to use, understand and create media and communications in a variety of contexts. People who have digital communications literacy, our explicit interest today are able to use, understand and create digital media and communications. This term overlaps nicely with digital media literacy which is the expression that the ACMA uses as it reflects our converged regulatory responsibilities for both internet, broadcasting and telecommunications. So forgive me if I sometimes fall back on this expression. The Australian government sees digital communications as enabling technologies and promotes their wider use for participation in the digital economy and inclusion in society generally. To quote from our portfolio department's website. Thank you. The internet is an essential tool for Australians including children. The ability to use online tools effectively provides both a skill for life and the means to acquire new skills. The ACMA's framing of digital communications literacy as set out on this slide aligns with our government's key strategic priorities and also recognises our responsibilities to help Australians deal with security and safety risks on the internet and mobile phones. It also helps to shape the ACMA's thinking on new regulatory challenges in an IP based communications environment. Areas such as public interest protections and social concerns about going online including protection from cyber stalking and cyber bullying and safeguarding financial and personal data. When the ACMA refers to digital media literacy we generally mean the skills and capabilities needed for effective participation in the digital economy and to encourage social inclusion in a networked society. These skills and capabilities include use including the access to infrastructure and devices and the information skills to find content and services. Understanding and interpretation. The ability to understand, evaluate and control aspects of media content to judge the quality and authority of sources and trust in various forms of media found online. Creation and participation for example the ability to participate in social media and contribute to user generated content and we've heard how important those developments are. Consumer protection and security is also an essential aspect of digital communications literacy. Understanding online security risks and how to protect oneself and those for whom one is responsible. Why is digital communications literacy important? In July 2009 the government published Australia's digital economy future directions report providing the vision for taking strategic and enabling action to ensure all parts of Australia benefit fully from the digital economy. This includes investment in a national broadband network to deliver super fast broadband to Australian homes and workplaces. The report specifically identified the need for a digitally empowered, confident and literate community to maximise the social, cultural and economic value of this infrastructure. The social value to individuals of digital communications is fairly clear. Internet users report increasingly positive impacts in many areas including pursuing hobbies and interests, convenient and cheaper shopping, increased work readiness, employment and further education opportunities, easier access to healthcare and financial information and enhanced communications and interactions with friends and family and community. Less immediately obvious is that digital communications literacy is becoming fundamental to being a competent participant in today's society. Digital media and communications technologies provide new means for creative expression, innovation, collaboration, emerging Web 2.0 platforms, tools such as blogs, wikis, social networking provide additional ways for community engagement across many cultural spheres. Digital technologies have a role in preserving and supporting cultural heritage. For example, museums and libraries across Australia are implementing digital preservation policies and taking the collections online. Important for Australia and Australian heritage is the digital recording of traditional stories and cultural practices of indigenous Australians. As well as traditional owner group languages and their knowledge of natural resource management. There are great economic advantages deriving from online participation across the broad community. Employment opportunities such as employment opportunities. An IBM study on the economic potential of high speed broadband in Australia estimates that investment in smart technology supported by broadband in electricity, irrigation, health and transport could add more than 70,000 jobs in Australia in 2014 alone. The growing value of e-commerce is all around us. A simple statistic. A quarter of Australian businesses in 2007 and 2008 were generating income from selling goods and services online and cost savings of course. The Australian government has invested heavily in e-government initiatives benefiting through administrative cost savings in areas such as online tax returns, Medicare benefits and other benefit claims. And the ability for government to better target its services and more easily communicate with citizens. Governments around the globe increasingly recognise the importance of their citizens being able to effectively use new media and communications technologies. As they seek to ensure that countries reap maximum benefit from their developments. They're looking to their own agencies as well as industry and the community sector to develop strategies and programs to help them achieve their goals. The Australian government looks to the Australian communications and media authority and its research to provide guidance and advice in the area of digital communications literacy. Unlike the UK regulator Ofcom, the ACMA has no specific mandate to promote media literacy. However, our legislation does provide us with responsibilities in key areas of research, public education and facilitating cooperation between stakeholders. In Australia, 83% of households have the internet. Mobile phone penetrations even higher at almost 90%. And nearly 60% of Australians own 3G capable phones according to research commissioned by the ACMA in late 2009. While the great majority of Australians are online, this leaves almost 20% of Australian adults having never used the internet. Much of the quantitative research around adoption and use of digital media and communications points to a generational divide. The older people are the less likely they are to be using digital media and communications currently. This often overlooks the fact that many people in younger or middle age groups are not online and also many people are very marginal or limited users of the internet and mobiles. For example, maybe just using mobiles for voice calls or for SMS. These are individuals for whom using digital media might have significant benefits. They might wish to undertake further education, re-enter the workforce and more easily access government services or generally be able to keep up with peers in communicating and accessing information and entertainment. We also recognise that effective and confident use of digital communication involves a process of adapting learning strategies as new devices and applications become available and also continuous learning as people move through different life stages with needs for different skills and competencies. So in 2009, when the ACMA commissioned qualitative research to better understand the barriers to digital communications literacy we made sure we included limited users of the internet and mobile phones as well as those who were not using. Our research identified two key factors that were clearly affecting people's attitudes and behaviour. Their existing competencies and their level of motivation to learn more about digital communications and to use more. Many of our non and limited users had not been required to use technology on a day-to-day basis in their job or education or hadn't been able to explore and experiment with computers and the internet. They did not understand the underlying assumptions of how digital media works or the associated commonplace language that's used by those who are comfortable with digital media. Most importantly, they had not developed the transferable skills to allow them to become more competent. Instead, they might memorise, by rote, some steps to get them to their favourite website.