Around Australia, smart places are improving the productivity, liveability and resilience of cities, towns and communities. Sensors and other communications technologies are integrated into the natural and built environment to capture and convey data and insights. wi-fi hotspots, connected transport, traffic monitoring and water level monitoring are good examples.
The collected data is analysed and used to help people and governments make better-informed decisions.
While there are clear applications for this technology in urban areas, Australia's regional areas and primary industries stand to benefit significantly. In some rural areas, IoT technologies and data services are already transforming agribusiness and livestock management. However, for many farmers, online data collection is mainly associated with compliance monitoring, such as livestock tagging and tracking systems. While farmers could benefit from the improved integrity of supply chains, data collection can seem a burden and carries severe economic consequences for non-compliance, such as suspended rights to sell cattle. A compliance mindset is not the place to start when promoting the benefits of digitalisation.
A strategic approach is required. There should be a greater focus from key regional stakeholders and industry on promoting smart technology and smart places. Regional Development Australia, and regional development departments in each state and territory, should further focus on helping key industries understand smart places and realise how they can benefit from them. This includes providing best-practice case studies and supporting scalable pioneering projects.