When Morley couple Eithne and Don O'Doherty realised they had to download and operate the new ServiceWA app on their phone to prove their COVID vaccination status to move freely around the state, they were anxious.
"It's quite daunting and frightening, I had some sleepless nights thinking, am I going to be able to download this Covid app?" Mrs O'Doherty said.
When the ServiceWA app launched on January 11, Western Australia Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson conceded it was "fiddly" and recommended setting aside half an hour for installation.
But it has been more than "fiddly" for many West Australians, while also exposing a wider digital divide.
"They [the state government] should have realised that not everyone's digitally able, especially older people," Mrs O'Doherty said.
"And they just didn't seem to be prepared for that at all. It was just put out and that was it. You had to fend for yourself."
The state government's ServiceWA app helps Western Australians show proof of their COVID-19 vaccination, check in to venues and events with SafeWA, and access their G2G pass for interstate travel.
Since the app was launched there have been 11,809 calls to the state government's ServiceWA technology helpline and 3,854 support emails have been received.
About 527,000 people have downloaded the app and set up a ServiceWA account.
Local libraries quick to offer tech help
Many of Perth's local government libraries have stepped up to help ServiceWA app users before the end of January deadline, when proof of vaccination status will be required for entry into most venues across the state.
When City of Bayswater's Morley Library team organised a series of longer one-on-one ServiceWA help sessions, they booked out within hours.
"We've mainly been assisting our older community members with the app, particularly those who are unfamiliar or less comfortable using technology," she said.
Ms Hall said volunteer 'digital mentors' were helping people get back to basics, with some needing to set up email addresses, upgrade out-of-date software or learn how to use basic functions on their smartphones.
"For some of our isolated community members, the library is one of the few places that offer free support in the digital space," she said.
Mrs O'Doherty said she was grateful for the library program.
"[Morley Librarian] Shannon was our guardian angel right through the process. She was really patient and kind.
"I haven't met a friend yet who was able to cope with it. They've had to seek assistance elsewhere.
"It's very, very difficult because you've got to be very adept in using the keyboard on your phone," Mr O'Doherty said.
Local librarians 'superheroes' bridging digital gaps
Professor of internet studies at Curtin University Tama Leaver said many people had experienced problems with the ServiceWA app when linking multiple apps and services together such as the myGovID app.
"This is especially difficult if you have not spent your entire life thinking that your identity will be digital.
"I don't think the provision of digital literacy services across the state and across the country really matches the complexity of some of the platforms we're being asked to use on a day-to-day basis."
Professor Leaver said local libraries were "vital" in increasing digital literacy as more personal identification moves into the digital realm.
"Librarians and information officers employed at the local level, are going to be vital to ensuring that we don't suffer a larger digital divide," he said.
Helping with downloads
President of the Australian Asian Association of WA Melville Fialho said many people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds also had trouble with the app.
"Quite a few people have come to the association, and we've helped them to download and set up the app on their mobiles," he said.
"They are totally perplexed, confused and a number of them are a bit hesitant to get online and provide details based on, the different origins of where they came from, when they were not very trustworthy of the government agencies."
A state government spokesperson said translated information about proof of vaccination and the ServiceWA app was available in 10 languages including Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Farsi, Hakha Chin, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Karen, Swahili and Vietnamese. An additional 15 languages would be available soon.
But the spokesperson said there had been no requests to use the interpreter services that had also been set up to help people from non-English speaking backgrounds.
But Mr Fialho said the message about the availability of the service was not getting through to people at a grassroots level.
"And the other problem, once they do use the interpreter services, it's sometimes very difficult with the digital identification, like passports and licenses; that's where a lot of them are having problems."
