Business group calls for Brisbane to become Australia’s first ‘data community’
A high profile business lobby group was called on the Palaszczuk Government to back moves to make Brisbane a Mecca for data analytics, saying a transition to a digital economy is key to growing a vibrant regional economy.
The Committee for Brisbane next week will release a vision to ensure the city becomes Australia’s first “data community” to unlock the economic opportunities presented by innovative data analysis.
It proposed five steps to achieve such a goal, including investing $20 million in an accelerator fund to encourage local councils to use the data they hold to ease congestion and reduce emissions.
The committee also wants the government to create a “data hub” to demonstrate the potential of data analytics to improve transport networks and waste management and to appoint a “data leadership commissioner” to encourage people and businesses to embrace the digital economy.
It is backing a funding bid for a prototype hub to be built by the Queensland University of Technology’s DataCare facility aimed at increasing data transparency.
“Urban data in the digital age has the potential to make our cities more liveable, sustainable and equitable,” the committee’s proposal states.
“This potential can best be realised if the social licence to operate a smart city is underpinned by good data practices.”
The bid will be unveiled at a function in Brisbane next Wednesday featuring Infrastructure Australia chief executive Romilly Madew, Smart Cities Council executive director Adam Beck and tech entrepreneur Bevan Slattery.
