A Lucky Country? Not so fast

I've just returned from the US where I noticed that awards for "smart communities" are starting to become more common.

The awards tend to be based not only on the degree of technological take up like broadband access, but how communities are going at making technology work for them economically, socially and culturally.

It's a great concept and helps put the spotlight on just what we can do to make technology an integral part of our daily lives-from work to play.

Sadly that debate is lagging here in Australia as we dither over the details of a National Broadband Network. And even when the NBN is in place we'll still have speeds that generally trail most of the developed world.

When you are overseas these days you soon realise just how much debate is going on in different countries about linking technology to future economic growth. Over there it is seen as an urgent priority, while here there is very little unified leadership or vision around.

One of the areas where this is crystal clear is at the home and community level. We're still building houses and estates as though technology is a pipe dream or something that is too expensive to even contemplate.

Government and industry needs to be putting in place minimum technology standards so that we don't have dumb homes and communities, so that we are ready for the future, not overwhelmed by it.

The rest of the world is rushing toward the future, but I still get the feeling that Australia wants luck to keep on playing the major role, and that's no longer a luxury we can afford.

John Fennell