With a population where over 47 percent of people have internet access, and nearly 25 percent of the workforce are employed in the Information Technology industry, the City of Whitehorse is determined to increase internet access even further.
Executive Officer Emmanuel Gauci said Council aims to use IT as a tool to enhance, not just economic development, but social and community development.
“It can be a means of bringing the community together,” he said.
“Even though many of our residents already have access, much of this is through work or school.
“We want to have mums at home, retired people, everyone, able to use this valuable means of communication with each other, local business and Council.
“And we want to make sure that people not only have access but also can use it effectively.”
To this end, Council is using a three streamed approach to spreading the word &endash; a community program, a business program and an internal organisation program.
Early in May, Council launched Whitehorse On Line. This is a comprehensive program providing access and training through neighbourhood houses, U3As and other meeting places to bring the internet to the community.
“It is our aim to give every resident in Whitehorse an email address within two years,” Emmanuel Gauci said.
On the business side, he said that Whitehorse with its two tertiary facilities, Box Hill TAFE and Deakin University, is able to provide highly regarded training programs for business. It is hoped that courses will be expanded to accommodate a range of training needs for the increasing number of high tech industries locating in Whitehorse and some 2,000 home businesses.
In addition, the City, which has a High Tech Industrial Park up and running, is looking to develop another.
State Government funding to promote E commerce via an easily understood package is also being sought.
Other initiatives for business include bringing shopping strips on line as a single entity, and having every business listed on Council’s website, with hotlinks to their own sites, creating an affordable and safe shopping environment.
The third stream of ‘webbing’ Whitehorse is to have Council act as a ‘lead agency’ in demonstrating the value of IT use.
“We will have our website acting as a conduit for community information, for contact between other organisations and Council, for retail, bill paying, heritage information and history,” Emmanuel Gauci said.
“We also hope to develop a chat room with the Mayor.”
He said Council is very conscious of the security issue and recognises that people have a level of trust in Council.
“We will respond to that and deliver accordingly,” he said.
