Page 898 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 9 April 2014
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The recent ANU Connect Ventures conference, at which the Chief Minister launched the new Griffin accelerator and announced $70,000 of government funding, is but one reflection of the growth of the digital sector.
Regardless of whether we are talking to the start-up community, small businesses, larger Australian businesses or foreign investors, a key issue is our city’s credentials and capabilities as a digital city. Ms Berry’s motion this evening calls on the government to continue its efforts across the digital economy, and it is clear that we are doing just that.
Following consultation with business and the community, last month the Chief Minister released the digital Canberra action plan. The plan provides a roadmap for identifying, testing and implementing a range of ideas and solutions to take advantage of digital opportunities.
The plan sets out five key priorities. The first of these is that Canberra is a smart city. Leading digital cities need town centres which focus community activity and interaction in the digital space. I think there is universal agreement that free public wi-fi is a key enabler of a connected society and allows residents and tourists alike to utilise a range of devices. It can certainly transform community centres and spaces into digital spaces where people can engage in the local economy and in local activity, and national and international activity. It may be as simple as finding directions to the closest available car parking space. All of these things feed in to the growth of a smart and connected city.
The second priority is accelerating digital uptake and raising productivity. Businesses using digital technologies are able to lower communication costs, find new customers and access more efficient supply chains. Customers want and expect faster access to products and services and employees increasingly expect greater flexibility in regard to their work location.
The third priority is a more connected community. This creates a focus on new and better connections across the different parts of the Canberra community, including government. This vision of online government includes the community engaging online and helping to co-create policies, services and projects. This online collaboration can also drive community-led initiatives and find alliances between retail, tourism, education, professional services and community groups.
Priority 4 is open and transparent government. The record of this government is one of increasing transparency and online services. The continuing of new applications such as NXTBUS, the release of the mobile Canberra app and the “Canberra Live” video registry website are some examples.
Priority 5 moves the government further towards its own target of “digital by default”. There is no doubt that technological advancement is creating new possibilities in service delivery and new expectations in service quality. The government will progress a large number of new opportunities with a focus on citizen-centric design for new and easier access to government services. Beyond the new action plan the
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