How councils can fix the digital services disconnect in their communities
Communities across Australia expect clear, convenient online council services that match the ease of the apps they use daily.
Yet, according to the IBRS Australia Digital Citizens 2025 report (commissioned by TechnologyOne), too many face barriers when trying to engage online, turning to call centres for tasks that should take minutes.
By delivering seamless, connected digital experiences, councils can strengthen community trust, ease the load on staff, and meet the growing expectations of modern communities.
Why council digital services fall behind
From bin collection to planning approvals, councils manage the everyday services people rely on. But unfortunately, a lot of their digital services lag behind.
Compared to federal and state governments, local governments still grapple with older systems, siloed processes, and limited resources that hinder their ability to deliver consistent, user-friendly experiences. Only 55% of people used local government online services, compared to 88% and 80% using federal and state online services
Only 29.3% of citizens believe their local government online services have improved over the past four years, while around 6% actually believe they’ve gone backwards!
In the case of one respondent, you often can’t do simple council tasks online at all:
“As far as my local council’s website goes, I pay my rates each week through my banking app, but when I log into the council’s website, there is no way to see what my balance or credit is sitting at. I have no way of knowing if I’m on top of it or not. It feels intentional.”
Instead of building confidence in digital services, these experiences drive residents back to call centres and counters.
What are communities’ biggest issues with local government services?
Nearly 60% of citizens find local government digital services convenient; 54% value the time savings, and 41.5% appreciate being able to engage with their council when it suits them. But frustration quickly grows when services become more complex: 13.9% of citizens reported poor experiences when seeking building approvals; 14.8% when applying for housing, and 17.4% even when reporting community defects.
What citizens want
Residents aren’t asking for much: just clear, easy-to-use services and quick access to information.
In the report, respondents were clear about what needs improvement in their local councils’ online services:
- Around 32% want better progress tracking for applications
- 31.9% want information to be easier to find
- And 26% want clearer guidance on how to complete tasks online.
Local government services play a crucial role in people’s daily lives, but unless these services are easy to use and consistent, councils risk losing the community trust and engagement that effective digital services can build.
What’s the solution for councils?
Many are already working hard to modernise, but without the right tools and connected systems in place, even the best intentions can fall short of what communities expect from digital services.
The report makes it clear: the opportunity for councils lies in designing services that are empathetic, mobile-friendly, written in plain language, and integrated on the back end so residents aren’t forced to repeat themselves at every step.
It’s also about working smarter. Every manual form processed, every phone call taken, and every piece of siloed data takes time and resources away from where they’re needed most.
This is where the right digital platform makes the difference.
How DxP Local Government helps councils close the gap
TechnologyOne’s DxP Local Government (DxP LG) is built to help councils deliver the seamless, connected digital services their communities expect, without adding complexity behind the scenes.
DxP LG completes the OneCouncil puzzle, streamlining service delivery by working seamlessly with your OneCouncil solution to give residents instant, effortless access to services and information from any device, anywhere, at any time.
Most importantly, it empowers councils to build trust with their communities.
Take the next step towards connected community services
Build trust and boost engagement by delivering the digital services your community expects. Remove barriers and lead the way to a more connected council with confidence.
Ready to see how your council can close the digital disconnect?
Download the full IBRS Digital Citizens Report or book a DxP Local government demo today.