In fact, we know that respondents who are employed full-time have an above average level of access to the Internet. In order to restore a baseline on the level of access, we propose a more direct profile by employment status. The differences in employment status are highlighted in Table 4.1, where we also examine the variations in the types of non-users and the main reasons why respondents do not have access to the Internet from home.

In 1999, the employment groups with the highest levels of access to the Internet were 1) students, 2) full-time employed, 3) term or casual employed, 4) self employed and 5) part-time employed. Those who are in the seasonal-employed category also have above average access levels. Respondents who are unemployed are split, with approximately one in two indicating recent Internet access. The level of overall Internet access declines significantly among respondents who describe their current employment status as homemakers, retired or other (including those on maternity or disability leave).

The wide divergence in the overall level of Internet access by employment status reflects the generational effect outlined in previous sections. With more than three in four students indicating they have had recent access to the Internet, this represents a 56-point gap with retirees.