The role of local government in creating sustainable and smart cities was the focus of a visit by a delegation from the Philippines in Sydney this week.
The delegation included 35 national executive board members from the Vice Mayors' League of the Philippines (VMLP), as well as representatives of the Centre for Local and Regional Governance (CLRG), University of the Philippines-National College of Public Administration and Governance (CPAG).
Local Government NSW (LGNSW) President Cr Darriea Turley AM hosted the delegates during their visit to the organisation's headquarters in Sydney this week.
The tour aimed to provide professional development relevant to the Vice Mayors in their role, through exposure to international policies and processes in enabling smart city development.
LGNSW Chief Executive David Reynolds provided an overview of the organisation's structure and local government's relationships with its state and federal counterparts.
Director Advocacy Damian Thomas discussed how the organisation identifies key advocacy priorities, develops policies, and how it pursues them for the benefit of the state's councils.
Special guest Dr Tom Gao, City of Sydney's Chief Technology and Digital Services Officer, shared his council's experiences with digital services program development, which relies on the application of technological foundations that enable smart cities.
The delegation's week-long visit started with an introduction to the Australian local government system at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Centre for Local Government, and a briefing from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Industry about the State Government's role in providing and enabling environment for smart cities.
The delegates also learned first-hand about smart-city initiatives from Blacktown City Council and Campbelltown City Council.
Cr Turley said the learning visit was an enjoyable and enriching experience for the host councils and the Philippines delegation.
"It's important that local government takes a real leadership role to ensure communities are not left behind in this era of rapid technological advancement," Cr Turley said.
"The development of smart cities is an important area of study for local government organisations all over the world as we prepare ourselves and our communities for change.
"It was wonderful to share information about the NSW local government sector and discuss policymaking and program implementation for smart cities and services.
"Like our wonderful councils in NSW, our guests know the importance of hard-working advocates who can identify the needs of their communities and implement solutions considered, sustainable solutions," Cr Turley said.
