Hobart City Council has unanimously endorsed two major documents to guide the city’s technology decision-making: the Connected Hobart Smart City Framework and Action Plan.
The Connected Hobart Smart Cities Framework provides a roadmap for how the City of Hobart uses technology and data to improve liveability, manage resources, drive economic activity, foster innovation and better service the community’s needs.
The framework provides definitions for the important components of a Smart City and the intent behind each significant decision made.
The Action Plan is operational – the framework being put into practice across over 50 projects. It includes initiatives to support continued work with Hobart community members and stakeholders as the program develops and is implemented.
The two documents were developed under Connected Hobart, a Hobart-focused smart city program, reflecting the community’s vision and responding to both the opportunities and challenges that the latest technology revolution will bring to the city.
Examples of Connected Hobart projects include:
- Automated vehicle trials (CTR01) – to test the benefits of driverless cars in a safe and controlled location
- Environmental monitoring (CEN03) – to maintain and improve Hobart’s clean, green environment
- Pet tracking (CCS05) – for finding lost pets
- Digital wayfinding (CVI03) – to make it easier for visitors to navigate our city
- Drone trials (CEN01) – for helping to manage bushland in places where it’s hard for humans to go
A goal to lead the nation
These smart cities strategies stem from the City of Hobart’s aim to not only keep pace with other major cities, but to be Australia’s most economically, social and environmentally connected community by 2030.
With additional data produced by smart cities infrastructure, the Hobart City Council hopes that its decisions can become less reactive and more forward-thinking.
Integrated data from numerous programs across the city will be leveraged as an impetus for change, including upgrades to city systems.
Improving control over key city assets and systems such as street lighting, energy networks and communications sources, bus stops and city signage, will make it easier to help everyone’s Hobart experiences become safer and more enjoyable.
With an understanding that the most advanced solutions are not always the best solutions, the City of Hobart aims to embrace the integration of old and new approaches when making decisions about its technological advancement.
The Connected Hobart portal will then provide a single window for the Council to transparently communicate key data to the community, whilst still protecting personal data and preserving individual privacy.
The road to developing the Framework and Action Plan
The City of Hobart’s City Innovation Division commenced work on exploring a smart cities strategy in March 2018.
Conversations began with dozens of major industry and community stakeholders, including community members, all tiers of government, universities, businesses and other councils across Tasmania.
This engagement helped to build the framework and action plan that define the range of innovative service programs best suited to our unique city.
City of Hobart employees engaged in several workshops and public forums, which included contributing Smart Cities ideas and outlining what community ideas and questions Connected Hobart should address.
The draft documents were posted for public comment on Your Say Hobart, supported by a public forum introducing the draft framework and action plan and encouraging feedback.
The feedback received was highly valuable and had a major influence on the Connected Hobart program, including supporting the development of ideas about technology, choosing projects for the action plan, and guiding how the program should be implemented.
The Council unanimously voted to endorse the Connected Hobart Smart City Framework and Action Plan on 9 September 2019.
