As part of the 2016 election campaign the Australian Government announced the establishment of a $50 million competitive Smart Cities and Suburbs Program to give funding support to projects using technology-driven solutions to solve urban challenges.
The program seeks to improve the habitability, efficiency and sustainability of Australian cities, suburbs and towns.
Smart technologies enable local governments and their communities to engage with each other to reach better outcomes in terms of the design and use of public resources, services and spaces.
Smart technology can help local governments to:
- actively work alongside the community in planning and policy decisions
- tackle pressing economic, social and conservational challenges, and
- enhance the productivity and effectiveness of urban services.
Local governments, such as the City of Wanneroo, are a key focus for the smart city ethos.
Projects under the Smart Cities label could deliver innovative solutions which impact the government sector, improve matters of community significance or meet the needs of residents.
The program will seed the rollout of a range of smart city solutions nationally which will go a long way to establishing Australia as an authority in this space.
Source: Smart Cities [Learn more]