Digital Western Parkland City

Overview

Work is underway to help make the Western Parkland City digitally enabled and smart. 

The Western Parkland City spans 8 local government areas: Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Penrith and Wollondilly.

Together with these local councils and the Australian Government, we are planning for the Western Parkland City to be:

• an inclusive and digitally capable region, where everyone can benefit from technology
• a productive region with the infrastructure needed for faster, more reliable and affordable internet
• more resilient and sustainable
• a liveable region, where smart solutions improve the quality of the local environment and the health and wellbeing of its residents.

The Western Sydney City Deal (2018) includes 4 digital commitments to help us realise this digital vision.

Data is currently available at the Western Parkland Councils Data Portal.

Co-creating the program

We co-created the program over 24 months with the 8 Western Parkland City councils, the Commonwealth Government and with customer insights.

A significant market engagement program helped us to define the smart cities initiatives included in the Program.  

Delivering the program

We have been investing in the Smart Western City Program by delivering pilots, using co-contributions from the Smart Places Acceleration Program.

Pilots help us:

• test technology solutions
• trial data management approaches and service models
• build capability
• establish an evidence base for future, larger investments. 

5G Strategy and trials

Reliable and affordable digital connectivity will drive a Western Parkland City that is future-focused and smart enabled.

Strategy aims

The Western Parkland City 5G Strategy aims to ensure:

• great connectivity outcomes
• improved urban amenity outcomes
• we meet the community’s needs and expectations
• that 5G can be implemented in a commercially sustainable way
• that value of 5G for the economy is accelerated.

The 5G Strategy was developed in partnership with all tiers of Government and the mobile telecommunications sector.

The 5G Strategy has informed a trial. The trial is finding ways to provide mobile coverage to new developments, before people move into their homes. It includes councils, State Government and mobile network operators.

You can find out more about this trial in the case study library.

The 5G Strategy and trial are commitment C5 of the Western Sydney City Deal.

Western Parkland City Digital Action Plan

The Digital Action Plan defines the coordinated effort required to deliver:

• better connectivity for Western Parkland City, both for now and in the future
• seamless government communication and engagement with residents
• data driven solutions and services for all people of Western Parkland City
• inclusive planning and place-making, with close community involvement.

The Digital Action Plan is Commitment C3 of the Western Sydney City Deal (PDF 813.72KB). 

Pilots

Pilots underway include:

Openly available data sets

The NSW Government data management platforms are being used to support data sharing in the Western Parkland City.

To support appropriate and safe data sharing:

• Individual and role-based access arrangements are in place, so no one has access to data that they shouldn't.
• Data is protected using NSW Cyber Security provisions.
• Councils retain ownership of their data.
• Data links automatically to Commonwealth data sharing platforms such as Data.Gov and NationalMap.

Councils are uploading data sets on a rolling basis with support from the NSW Government data services teams.

The openly available data sets are commitment C6 of the Western Sydney City Deal. Data is currently available at the Western Parkland Councils Data Portal.