SCAANZ calls for smart cities incubator
Smart Cities Council Australia New Zealand (SCCANZ) has given its full backing to the federal government’s $50 million Smart Cities and Suburbs program, but has called for a Smart Cities Leadership Incubator and Smart Cities Project Exchange to accelerate action.
Adam Beck, founding executive director of SCCANZ, said that additional support programs will strengthen the program’s ability to shape the marketplace.
“The Australian Government’s Smart Cities and Suburbs program represents a significant milestone for the smart cities movement, and for Australian cities and towns. It is fundamental that it receives the support needed to not only survive, but thrive beyond the federal government’s allocated funding,” said Beck.
In its submission to the Australian Government, SCCANZ has recommended the government establish a Smart Cities Leadership Incubator.
According to Beck, this 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.
The council also wants a Smart Cities Project Exchange to ‘amplify’ opportunities for projects to attract additional support, funding and partnerships.
“We see the Smart Cities Project Exchange 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,” said Beck.
“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.”
You can read the SCCANZ submission at anz.smartcitiescouncil.com/resources/submission-australian-government-smart-cities-and-suburbs-program-guidelines.
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