NEWCASTLE will claim more than $4.9 million in federal funds as part of its work to become a smart city.
The Smart Cities and Suburbs funding, announced as part of a $28 million suite of grants on Friday, is one of 52 projects spread across the country that will receive cash.
That funding adds to a $10 million co-contribution from the council and other partners, taking the city’s final total war chest for the innovation programs to just short of $15 million.
The council’s smart mobility strategy aims to innovate towards future modes of transport while making walking and cycling a priority.
The funding will support projects including an electric vehicle hub at the city’s fringe as a park and ride station, bus stops offering real-time updates, parking sensors feeding through to apps and city-wide data analytics.
Australian Smart Communities Association chief executive Laurie Patton said the not-for-profit body and its members, including the council, looked forward to placing Australia at the forefront of deploying smart technology.
“While there’s already a good deal of energy at local government level it is pleasing to see Canberra and the states and territories coming on board,” he said.
40 per cent of the projects receiving funding on Friday were in regional areas, Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation Angus Taylor said.
“The Smart Cities and Suburbs Program is rewarding clever ideas that boost local economies and fix problems – traffic congestion, connectivity, business downturn, anti-social behaviour – as well as the ability to be replicated in other places, particularly in the outer suburbs of our cities and regional cities like Newcastle,” he said.
The article appeared in The Newcastle Herald on 17 November 2017. Click here for full article
