The 18 centres, which provide access to the internet as well as vital one-on-one IT support in rural areas to elderly people and others unfamiliar with using online services, are funded through the Digital Connections Grant Program of the Department of Education.

But Labor Lyons MHA Jen Butler said the centres faced an uncertain future if funding is not boosted.

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"The future for [the centres] under the current funding arrangements is grim. Funding allocated through the State Government grant deed is inadequate. Starving the OAC network of appropriate funding might be viewed as a cynical strategy to close down the network," she said.

The centres last came under threat in 2019, when a plan emerged to subsume them into Libraries Tasmania. The plan was later abandoned.

President of the Association of St Helens Online Access Centre Committee Rosina Gallace said she this week cut her paid centre coordinator's work hours from 16 hours per week to 10 hours per week.

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"We have received the same funding without any increase at all in relation to inflation, cost of living, or wage increases," she said.

She also noted that St Helens received the least amount of funding - about half the amount granted to the Devonport OAC - despite St Helens having about 40 per cent more visitors.

She said if the situation continues, her centre in St Helens could close within six months.

"I was told by my auditor we can't continue spending like this without a further injection of money."

"I'd like to apply for more grants for funding, but the grants are all project-based, and we don't have the resources for that."

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Kevin Knowles, treasurer of Meander Valley Connect - the organisation that controls the Mole Creek and Deloraine OACs - likened the government's move to pay some centres more and starve others of funding to a "divide and conquer" strategy.

"What it seems is that [Education Minister] Roger Jaensch is picking one centre off at a time," he said.

"Three years ago they reduced our funding and ... we had to cut our labour costs by half," he said.

He said the centres will shortly stage a statewide meeting to help coordinate a campaign push for more funding.

"It's in order to present a united front, rather than them picking one of us off at a time."

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said there were no plans to alter the amount of funding provided to the centres at present.

"The government is fully committed to increasing digital inclusion in Tasmania, providing and supporting a range of services, including online access centres, Services Tasmania, Libraries Tasmania, and Digital Ready for Business and Digital Ready for Daily Life."

The spokesperson said funding varied between different OACs because of their varying circumstances and needs.

"Funding is based on the level provided through Service Level Agreements prior to the introduction of the Digital Connections Grant program in 2018."

"A number of OACs have been successful in supplementing funding by seeking additional sources including other grants and charging fees for services."

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