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Use of E-Government Services by Telephone

• 5.1 Introduction
• 5.2 Type of Telephone and Mobile Phone Contact
• 5.3 Level of Government Accessed by Telephone
• 5.4 Transaction Type Accessed by Telephone
• 5.5 Services Accessed by Telephone

5.1 Introduction

Use of the telephone to contact government has been relatively stable throughout this series of studies, with three in ten people (30%) contacting government by telephone (28% in 2004–05 and 2006, 32% in 2007 and 30% in 2008).

5.2 Type of Telephone and Mobile Phone Contact

Those whose last contact with government was either by telephone¹⁷ or they spoke or left a message using a mobile phone¹⁸ were asked what sort of contact that call mainly involved.

Three in five (62%) used an automated system where they punched in number options. Of these:

• eighty‑two per cent then spoke to someone
• eighteen per cent did not speak to anyone.

A third (34%) spoke to someone and did not use an automated system.

Figure 25 Type of telephone contact

Text description of Figure 25 Type of telephone contact

Q6B. Did your last phone contact mainly involve … ?
Base: Respondents who used the landline telephone or spoke/left a message with a mobile phone for their most recent contact with government (n=1123)

5.3 Level of Government Accessed by Telephone

There has been relatively little change in the proportion of people who use the telephone to contact different levels of government throughout these studies. Overall one in three people contacting government used the telephone on their most recent occasion.  In 2009, around three in ten people who contacted the Australian Government used the telephone as did a similar proportion of those contacting local government. The proportion of people contacting state and territory governments by telephone is lower, at one in four, and this has also been relatively constant throughout this series of studies.

Figure 26 Level of government accessed by telephone

Text description of Figure 26 Level of government accessed by telephone

Q3C. What was the level of government for this contact?
Base: Respondents who used the telephone for their most recent contact with government (n=1082)
Note 1: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding of decimals.
Note 2: Percentages may not add up to 100% because some respondents were unable to say what level of government they had dealt with.

5.4 Transaction Type Accessed by Telephone

As has been the case in previous years, those using the telephone to contact government are more likely to be exchanging information (43% of telephone users compared with 35% of all people contacting government), which is largely a reflection of the nature of the channel.

The proportion of those who use the telephone to provide, but not obtain, information is similar to the overall population (21% compared with 24%) — a similar situation to those who are contacting government to obtain, but not provide, information (35% of telephone users; 39% for all people).

Figure 27 Contacting government by telephone—type of transaction

Text description of Figure 27 Contacting government by telephone—type of transaction

Q3B. What was the reason for this contact?
Base: Respondents who used the telephone for their most recent contact with government (n=1082)

5.5 Services Accessed by Telephone

Those contacting government by telephone were more likely to be accessing a ‘community and social service’ than the average of all users. One in three (36%) of those contacting a government agency by telephone were accessing a ‘community and social service’ compared with an average of just over a quarter (27%). The likelihood of a telephone user contacting other government services is similar to the average with the exception of Transport.  Those contacting government by telephone were half as likely to be accessing a ‘transport’ service than the average of all users (8% compared to 14%).

Figure 28 Government services accessed by telephone

Text description of Figure 28 Government services accessed by telephone

Q3A. I would like you to think of government services, of any type at all in Australia, including local councils, state governments and the Australian Government. I am interested in all contact you have had with ANY government services in the PAST 12 MONTHS. Contact can include applying for things, providing information about yourself, making payments, enquiries, or looking for information. What was the MOST RECENT contact you had with a government service? Please name the service you contacted and the reason for the contact.
Base: All respondents (n=3667); Respondents who used the telephone in their most recent contact with government (n=1082)
Note: Only the most common responses are summarised in the above figure.

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Footnotes:

17. From 2006 respondents have had the option of nominating a mobile phone, SMS, or using a mobile phone to access the internet for their last contact with government. To date the numbers of responses in these categories have not been of sufficient size to allow extensive analysis. In studies since 2006 references to the telephone exclude these means of contacting government. Where possible, mobile phone results have been noted, but some caution should be taken due to the relatively small sample sizes.
18. By voice or automated telephone system.

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