Residents of Bundaberg in Queensland will gain an international profile with Council launching major innovations in information technology next month. Among initiatives to be introduced are a web site for Council business, an Intranet internal communications system to speed up transactions between Council departments and provision for public access to the Internet at the City Library.
Bundaberg’s web site will include general information on Council services plus business, economic and visitor information. After an initial trial, in which its effectiveness will be determined by the number of ‘hits’ the site receives, information will be adjusted accordingly.
Council officers will contact local organisations, such as local tourism operators and local businesses, to determine any additional information which will promote the district and might be useful to visitors to the site. It is proposed that clients with home computers will be able to gain more direct access to Council.
Transactions which previously involved contacting Council and then waiting on postal delivery of relevant forms and documents should be able to bypass the mail system by printing forms, available on the web site, directly from home printers. In addition, Council is investigating the potential for providing electronic information services such as email for residents.
To gain access to those services, it is intended the client would establish an account with Council to pay for these. For residents without Internet access at home, the City Library will provide several terminals for the general public to gain access to the Internet.
To avoid potential misuse, the terminals will be available in a highly public area of the Library where librarians can monitor their application. Time limits will ensure access for all.
Within Council, where the computer network sees individual departments using software specific to their area’s needs, the introduction of Intranet will enable a smoother, more efficient flow of information across departments.
In the near future, the system will allow for automatic retrieval of pertinent information, such as Minutes of Council Committee meetings. Already direct access is available to over 70 members of staff including outdoor staff via a dial-in service.
For further information contact John Clerke, telephone (071) 52 4588.
