Smart Cities Council backs govt program but calls for expansion

Smart Cities Council Australia New Zealand (SCCANZ) has given its full backing to the Australian Government’s Smart Cities and Suburbs Program, but claimed that additional support programs will strengthen the program’s ability to shape the marketplace.

The $50 million Smart Cities and Suburbs Program intends to support projects that apply innovative smart technology solutions to urban problems. The program will encourage collaborative initiatives involving local governments, the private sector, research organisations and not-for-profit bodies to improve the livability, productivity and sustainability of Australian cities, suburbs and towns.

“The Australian Government’s Smart Cities and Suburbs program represents a significant milestone for the smart cities movement and for Australian cities and towns,” said SCCANZ Executive Director Adam Beck. “It is fundamental that it receives the support needed to not only survive, but thrive beyond the federal government’s allocated funding.”

Detailing the council’s submission to the draft program guidelines, Beck said a Smart Cities Leadership Incubator would “support a unified approach to smart cities planning and action by coaching and mentoring leaders on the use of smart cities standards, performance indicators, collaborative governance processes, solutions road mapping, and performance monitoring and reporting”.

In addition, the council recommended that a Smart Cities Project Exchange be established to amplify opportunities for projects to attract additional support, funding and partnerships. According to Beck, the exchange would serve as “a critical market-building opportunity, whereby government can seek out partnerships for their projects, attract potential investors, report on their project’s performance and build a culture of information exchange and peer learning”.

“We have been involved in similar national smart cities funding programs around the world, and our experience shows that without smart leadership, we can’t have smart cities,” Beck added.

To view the Smart Cities and Suburbs Program draft guidelines, click here. To view the SCCANZ submission, click here.