Canberra gets Australia’s biggest free Wi-Fi network

CANBERRA is to have the largest free public Wi-Fi network in Australia as part of the Digital Canberra Action Plan, launched today by Chief Minister Katy Gallagher at the Canberra Business Council’s ‘State of the Territory’ Luncheon at the National Gallery of Australia.

The free Wi-Fi in Canberra will start to come online in Civic from the second half of this year and will then roll out in other town centres and commercial precincts.

“Garema Place will become the centre of digital innovation in Canberra through the creation of a dedicated digital space and digital screen,” Ms Gallagher added.

“[...] Connected to the Garema Place digital space, we are looking to create a digital and innovation hub as a service centre for digital government and the digital economy.

“This hub would help concentrate the development and incubation of digital ideas – building both the culture and the capability of the sector through practical support to connect innovations with applications in government and industry.”

The digital strategy also includes the creation of an “Innovation Pitch Panel” for local entrepreneurs to present their ideas directly to the Government, and workshops on “digital capacity building” for businesses and nonprofit groups.

The purpose of the speech was to explain to the business community how the Labor Government plans to keep the ACT economy on a steady course as the Australian Public Service workforce continues to shrink.

The Chief Minister also released the final version of the City Plan, which aims to encourage residential growth in Civic, major infrastructure upgrades and a permanent bridging of the divide between the city and the lake.

“Under the plan, the government is putting money behind key projects such as the Parkes Way split boulevard, conference centre and redevelopment of the ABC flats and I personally am looking forward to seeing this plan come to life,” Ms Gallaher said.

The City Plan received a $500,000 grant from the Australian Government’s Liveable Communities Programme, with the ACT Government contributing $1 million in resources.

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