Research organisations are under pressure to meet the growing demand for digitally enabled research, but the skills needed - like computing, AI, software engineering, and digital training - are wide-ranging and hard to resource. Even when funding is available, it's not always clear where to invest.

Although many institutions have established research strengths, the diversity of digital and data needs makes it difficult to access the right mix of capabilities when needed. National research infrastructure is designed to support large-scale capabilities, but uptake often depends on the availability of complementary, localised support. Well-resourced universities, such as those in the Group of Eight (Go8), are typically able to provide this support through dedicated training and expert guidance. However, less-resourced institutions frequently lack the capacity to do so, widening the digital divide.

This disparity raises critical questions about equitable access to national digital research infrastructure and how best to meet the evolving needs of researchers across all institutions.