The latest news about the Digital Equity Act being scrapped has hit close to home. Living in Melbourne’s tech bubble, it’s easy to forget that reliable internet access isn’t universal across our vast country. While I sit here with my gigabit fiber connection, many rural communities are still struggling with connections that barely qualify as broadband.

What’s particularly frustrating is watching political theatre take precedence over practical solutions. The claimed reasoning - objecting to the word “equity” - would be laughable if it weren’t so devastating to rural communities. This isn’t just about Netflix streaming or social media access. It’s about economic survival in the digital age.