Cities of the future – Smart Cities - rely on data, connectivity, and layers of digital infrastructure to deliver safe, sustainable, and citizen-centred communities. Without investment in smart city pilot programs and projects, customers (residents, businesses, and Councils) risk experiencing digital exclusion and reduced access to services, new technologies, opportunities, and quality of life outcomes that come with “smart” infrastructure investment.
Western Parkland City in Sydney's outer west is experiencing rapid, large-scale growth. Urban development projects for the area include a new Aerotropolis, centred on Western Sydney Airport, a new Metro line which will be operational in 2026, the creation of the Bradfield City Centre, a Science Park, and new residential communities in Leppington, Badgerys Creek, and the surrounding areas.
Despite this level of development, there are parts of Western Parkland City that currently experience slow, intermittent, or unreliable internet connectivity. It results in a disadvantage and lowers performance on the Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) -- a measure of access to the internet, affordability, and digital ability, such as skills, online activities, and attitudes toward digital technology. Western Parkland City, with a digital inclusion score of 61.2 in 2020, compares unfavourably to Central Sydney with a 71.2 score.
For businesses, the impact of digital services that are often unavailable, unaffordable or of inferior quality creates a disadvantage over their metropolitan counterparts; the pace of their growth will be hindered. This commercial disadvantage acts as a deterrent for investment and increases the likelihood for a business to rely on servicing customers through more costly traditional 'bricks and mortar' channels and business models.
For communities, low digital inclusion scores impact quality of life, jobs growth and liveability.
Planning and investment are needed now to include smart infrastructure as the area develops to future-proof connectivity and improve ADII scores. Opportunities abound in high-capacity conduit, common access ducts, smart street poles, street furniture, smart asset and waste management, and fibre connectivity.
As part of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment's Smart Western City program, work is underway for significant financial investment into a pipeline of projects that will future-proof Western Parkland City and ensure digital connectivity is a central feature in the consistent delivery of infrastructure.
Some of the projects include cyber risk management, embedding smart city infrastructure at the planning stages of development, boosting data sharing platforms, using data-driven research and analysis to formulate planning policies, and identifying initiatives to reduce the digital divide.
Improved digital connectivity will deliver:
- better asset management, and monitoring and maintenance of facilities
- improved environmental and movement monitoring
- data-driven Local and State Government decision-making and investment
- minimised risk for “digital plumbing” investment through the development of standards and guidelines for Local and State Government
- reduced cost, duplication and retrofitting in technology upgrades to provide fibre, smart poles, and conduits to communities over time
More Information
To find out more about the Department of Planning and Environment programs, contact smartplaces@planning.nsw.gov.au
Find out more about the Smart Western City Program
Learn more about the NSW Connectivity Strategy
If you have a project or program that would benefit from being part of the NSW Connectivity Strategy, please contact connectivity.strategy@customerservice.nsw.gov.au