PY Media Broadband Demand Aggregate Consultancy Project

Anangu Environment

The Demand Aggregation Broker Program on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yangkunytjatjara Lands of north-west South Australia is unique for several reasons.

• It is the only program being implemented in Aboriginal communities established on Aboriginal freehold Land.
• It is the only Program being conducted by a community controlled Aboriginal media organisation.
• It is being conducted in communities that have significant health and social problems; at the same time delivery of many essential community services is problematic.
• It is being conducted in a population generally classified as living in absolute poverty with an unemployment figure of around 85% (excluding CDEP).
• It is being conducted in one of the most remote and isolated places in the country.

There is a relatively small population of around 3000 Anangu residents living in 6 – 7 large communities of between 250 and 450 people with the balance living in about 10 – 15 homelands of various sizes. There are a total of nearly 350 Anangu residential houses spread across a land area roughly the size of Victoria and none of these Aboriginal households currently has privately funded computers and internet connection.

In addition, all the Anangu communities have resident non-Anangu members of staff and their families. These people not only work for the various local and regional Aboriginal organisations, but are also employed by government departments in such areas as education and police. There are several hundred non-Anangu members of staff on the Lands and their private and after-hours work access to and use of broadband internet services will be relevant to the Brokerage Program.