Maribyrnong City Council’s Smart City for Smart Communities Strategic Framework was created with Delos Delta and released mid-2022. This Framework is guided by the direction set out in the City of Maribyrnong 2040 Community and Council Plans.

“Investing in technology, data and innovation is the key to helping better serve our community’s needs” – Mayor, Cr Anthony Tran

Despite being developed during 2021 COVID-19 lockdowns, the Framework has helped Council become more agile in their approach when assisting the community and adapt to a changing way of living and working.

Over 250 community members, staff, and stakeholders were part of the engagement process and a further 5000+ were reached out to through digital channels.  The engagement process was important not only to collect insights, but to build awareness and understanding of smart city opportunities in Maribyrnong.

From the engagement, nine critical issues were identified to be implemented into the Framework, these included:  

• Improving transport and mobility access 
• Increasing pressure of community environmental impact and invest into the sustainable future  
• Regional population growth impacting resource management  
• Enhancing place management and smart city success  
• Improving organisational capacity and governance  
• Transparency and partnerships between the council, universities, levels of government, and private partners  
• Addressing economic growth  
• Improving digital connectivity and accessibility for the community  
• Making all smart initiatives community centred  

These insights informed the six strategic themes that the final Framework was then built on.  These included:  

1. A Place of Vibrancy and Activity 
2. A Resilient and Sustainable Future 
3. An Economy for the Digital Age 
4. An Empowered and Connected Community 
5. A Celebration of Culture and Creativity 
6. A Future Ready Council. 

This Framework was endorsed by Council on 17 May 2022.

Social Cohesion Project (SC²)

The Smart City for Social Cohesion Project (SC²) is a main element of the Framework, creating a strong foundation for the future of smart cities, leveraging a wide array of smart technologies in Footscray to enhance local safety, liveability, sustainability, and economic activity.  It is also based on a strong collaborative partnership between Maribyrnong City Council and Victoria University.

The SC² Project was recognised and received two highly commended awards at the 2022 MAV Tech Awards for Excellence, solidifying the City of Maribyrnong’s leadership in the smart city space.