Since its launch in 2023, Identity Digital’s role as sponsor of the Australian Internet Governance Forum (auIGF)'s First Peoples Internet Governance and Policy Fellowship has continued to evolve — and today, it stands out as one of our proudest achievements. Our goal has been to engage interested and eligible members of the First Peoples communities in internet governance and connect them with experts in relevant areas. This year, we are excited to welcome two new fellows to the auIGF; Astrid Innes and Simon O’Toole.
A key component of the program this year will be pairing Astrid and Simon with mentors, Dr Jenny Fraser and Susan Beetson. As 2023 fellowship recipients, Jenny and Susan bring valuable experience attending and presenting at previous forums. We asked Jenny about her current work and what she hopes to achieve from her role as mentor in 2025.
Q&A with Dr. Jenny Fraser
Identity Digital: What are you currently working on in your own personal career?
Jenny: One project I’m posting about every Monday is my own archival research to help mark 25 years of cyberTribe online gallery and our popup events that have taken place all over the world. Our Indigenous Art and internet History can be seen at the hashtag #cyberTribe25YearsProud
This project is partly supported by a Batchelor Institute 50th Anniversary grant, along with a small grant from the 2024 First Peoples’ Lens Cultural Fund, which is dedicated to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander projects in research and innovation, that prioritise digital knowledge dissemination.
Identity Digital: How has your involvement with the auIGF shaped your understanding of the industry and your current work?
Jenny: The topics within Internet Governance as a whole covers such a broad spectrum of interests, so being in the room for conferences has helped to condense a lot of information while keeping a birds eye view.
The fellowship with auIGF and Identity Digital has been timely for me as I synchronistically reflect on my 25 years of making use of the internet as a platform to rise above the colonial Gallery and Museum Sector in Australia. It’s been our saving grace to engage with the world in new ways.
Identity Digital: What do you hope to achieve from your role as mentor in 2025?
Jenny: Nothing about us without us. I’m holding space to midwife others fellowship dreams and also help grow the field to include Indigenous Internet Governance and protocols. We can see the seeds we are planting today are growing, and Australia is already ahead of some other countries just for having some specific Indigenous fellowships available. Hopefully Indigenous content will be integrated across all of the conference topics and other outcomes for Internet Governance moving onwards and upwards.
Identity Digital: Thanks Jenny, we are looking forward to reconnecting with you all next week.
We also caught up with Astrid and Simon to find out what they hope to get out of the auIGF.
Q&A with Astrid Innes and Simon O’Toole
Identity Digital: What can you tell us about yourself and your reasons for applying for the First Peoples Internet Governance and Policy Fellowship?
Astrid: I have a strong interest in the intersection of digital rights, equity and health communications, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) communities.
My work in a national not-for-profit organisation focuses on ensuring our communities are represented truthfully and safely in digital spaces. I see internet governance as a critical area for self-determination, especially when it comes to data sovereignty, digital access in remote areas and ensuring our people are protected from online harm.
I want to strengthen my knowledge in internet governance, connect with experts and decision makers and ensure ATSI perspectives are included in shaping the digital world.
Simon: I am a Gamillaroi design thinker, technologist and innovation strategist. I design technologies that put First Nations wisdom at the heart of digital futures, and I’m a strong believer in the internet’s unrealised potential to transform society. For Indigenous peoples, where the digital divide is often stark, the potential for impact is even greater. I applied for this fellowship because I believe Indigenous voices must be central in shaping Internet governance and digital rights, ensuring technology empowers rather than excludes.
Identity Digital: What are you hoping to get out of the fellowship program?
Astrid: I hope to strengthen my understanding of how decisions about the internet are made, across areas like digital rights, cybersecurity, online safety and data sovereignty. How these decisions can be influenced to better serve ATSI peoples. I want to build practical knowledge that I can bring back to my organisation and community, translating what I learn into accessible tools, resources and strategies for digital inclusion and literacy. I look to connect with experts, policymakers and other leaders to foster collaboration across sectors and ensure culturally safe approaches are embedded in digital policy. My goal is to contribute to the fellowship by sharing lived experience from my work in health and communications, while gaining the skills to advocate more effectively for fairer, safer and more inclusive digital futures.
Simon: I’m looking forward to connecting with leaders in Internet governance, exchanging ideas, and learning from mentors who have paved the way. Most importantly, I hope to bring back insights and relationships that strengthen digital inclusion and empower First Nations communities across Australia.
Thanks to Jenny and Susan for taking on the role of 2025 fellowship mentors and to Simon and Astrid for their interest as fellows in shaping the future of Australia’s digital governance and advocating for First Nations communities. We are looking forward to supporting you throughout your auIGF journey and are excited to see the impact that you’ll make.
The auIGF will take place on September 23-24 online and at the Adelaide Convention and Exhibition Centre. Register your attendance today at auigf.au
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