SYDNEY, June 1 Asia Pulse - Australians would prefer to go online to access government services but only a minority are doing this, the nation's chief information officer says.
Ann Steward says inconsistent data programs for government websites often make it difficult for people to find the services they needed.
"It is often stored in many formats, often stored across various agencies," she told the CeBIT Australia eGovernment forum in Sydney.
"People at the time, when the programs or the systems were being put in place ... probably didn't give account that (consistency) would be important."
Two in five Australians used the internet for their most recent contact with the government, Ms Steward said.
But four in five would prefer to use the internet to access government services.
"Where we get it right, and services are of value, we know our citizens and business want that as the preferred mode of interaction and that's where we're continuing to focus our attention," she said, adding that online government services were a growth area.
Federal Special Minister of State Gary Gray said Australians wanted internet access to government services to be as easy as online banking and shopping.
"People do expect high quality, on-demand and accessible government services just as they do from banks and the retail sector," he told the forum.
Mr Gray predicted the commonwealth's A$36 billion (US$38.43 billion) national broadband network would make it easier for people in regional areas to access services online without "driving many kilometres to the nearest regional centre".
(AAP) ms 01-06 1608
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