Wellington City Councils innovative work to respond to climate change impacts has been recognised by winning the Seoul Smart City Tech-innovacity Prize. More than 248 applications were received for the inaugural Seoul Smart City Awards, with Wellington …
Wellington City Council’s innovative work to respond to climate change impacts has been recognised by winning the Seoul Smart City Tech-innovacity Prize.
Read more: NZ: Wellington City Council’s Digital Twin City Model Wins Big In Seoul
Almost three-quarters of New Zealand’s 5.1 million citizens live in just 16 urban areas, with 30% living in the Auckland region. That’s driven the New Zealand Government to look at how technology can improve everything from public safety to energy efficiency to improve the quality of life.
But successful smart city projects aren’t just about technology. They require expertise in everything from law enforcement to public safety, transport and traffic management and require environmental experts who can work alongside technology experts. While technology can provide point solutions to many of the current challenges facing New Zealand cities and local government areas, the most significant benefits come when technology breaks down the barriers and siloes between different levels of government and their departments, the public and private sectors, and individual citizens.
Read more: Smart city management: NZ cities enhance safety and trust with data
Seniors will have the chance to become more technologically confident via a digital skills training programme the Government is rolling out for up to 5000 people across the country today.
The 2022 Budget has allocated $1.341 million over three years for the Office for Seniors to expand its digital literacy training programme.
In announcing the programme, Minister for Seniors Ginny Anderson said barriers to digital inclusion can include a lack of access to devices or connections, the skills needed to use them or mistrust of the online environment.
Read more: NZ: Government rolls out $1.3m digital literacy training programme for seniors
The Government will continue to help get seniors digitally enabled, Minister for Seniors Ginny Andersen announced today.
Six providers of digital training will deliver essential digital skills courses for up to 5,000 learners around the country.
“Being online is increasingly important for participation in modern life, but as many as one in four older people do not access the internet regularly,” Ginny Andersen said.
Read more: More Digital Training For Seniors Rolls Out Across New Zealand
Hauraki District Council is partnering with Smart City NZ to trial one of their smart benches in Paeroa this summer.
The smart bench will be installed in the Paeroa quad in front of the iSite this week for the community to try for three months.
Read more: NZ: Waikato: Hauraki: Smart bench comes to Paeroa