Public input sought on Geraldton’s digital future

From the City of Greater Geraldton

The City of Greater Geraldton is seeking public submissions and comment on items that are to go before Council in the near future.

Draft Digital First Policy and Strategy

Public comment is sought on the Draft Digital First Policy and Strategy.

As the first community in Australia to gain high-speed broadband connections through all three of the National Broadband Network (NBN) infrastructure platforms, the City of Greater Geraldton commissioned the development of a digital strategy for the City and the Mid West.

The aim was to capitalise on the economic, social and environmental benefits from the new digital technologies, incorporating the Digital Hubs, Digital Enterprise and Digital Local Government funding programs, and integrating the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge recommendations.

To jump-start the digital transformation in Geraldton, the digital policy and strategy report has outlined nine key recommendations for the City and region to be an active digital leader:

Continue to be an active digital technology leader;Create public digital platforms and infrastructure; Crowd-source and co-create compelling local digital content; Build household capacity and confidence; Build small business capacity and confidence; Enable new business and employment opportunities; Focus on building capacity in the retail, tourism and hospitality SME sectors; Support better access to quality education and training; Build innovative, globally significant smart infrastructure for the future. The public is invited to comment on the draft policy and strategy and all written submissions should be received no later than close of business on Wednesday, February 20, 2013. Submissions can be forwarded by email to council@cgg.wa.gov.au; or City of Greater Geraldton, PO Box 101 Geraldton 6531. Read the full draft policy and strategy.

Draft Smarter City Policy and IBM Smarter Cities Report

Public comment is sought on the Draft Smarter City Policy and IBM Smarter Cities Report.

The City of Greater Geraldton was one of 33 cities worldwide selected to receive an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant, with an in-kind value of $US400,000 as part of IBM’s citizenship efforts to build a Smarter Planet, to become more instrumented, interconnected and intelligent.

In August 2012, a team of six national and international IBM experts visited the City for three weeks to study, prepare and deliver recommendations on two key challenges identified by the City:

Identify smart digital services and opportunities that leverage the increasing availability of broadband; and Develop smart energy strategies that will enable the community’s vision of becoming a carbon-neutral region by 2029. The report recommended five focus areas:

Create the foundation for a “digital Geraldton”; Create smart digital services and community hubs; Develop innovative opportunities; Act upon opportunities to become the renewable energy capital of Australia; and Launch a leadership alliance to drive results. The public is invited to comment on the Draft Smarter City Policy and IBM Smarter Cities Report. All written submissions should be received no later than close of business on Wednesday, February 20, 2013. Submissions can be forwarded by email to council@cgg.wa.gov.au; or City of Greater Geraldton, PO Box 101 Geraldton 6531. Read the full policy and report.