THE INNOVATIVE Ipswich digital hub and the city’s broad digital policy have received praise on the national stage from NBN Co chief Bill Morrow.
Mr Morrow, speaking to the prestigious National Press Club luncheon in Canberra, said Ipswich was well positioned to embrace technological advancement and was one of the “great examples of whole communities adopting a new mindset after connection to the NBN network”.
“Ipswich in Queensland is a historic town, with a proud tradition in mining dating back to the 1800s,” Mr Morrow said in his speech.
“The community, about an hour from Brisbane, has embraced their connection to the NBN network.
“The town has a broad digital policy and a number of successful high tech companies competing in global markets.
“The local council is now in the process of converting the old fire station into a start-up incubator to see more local ideas turn into world leaders.
“The town’s digital inclusion policy and creativity led to it being named among the top seven Intelligent Communities of 2015 across the globe.”
Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale welcomed the praise and said the council was not resting on its laurels.
The QT previously reported the council’s plans to construct a digital hub in the old fire station building in Limestone St.
The building is owned by Ipswich City Development Enterprises (ICDE) and its fit-out and the subsequent installation of digital start-up businesses will be at no cost to the Ipswich ratepayer.
The digital incubator was initially going to be known as ‘1860’ – the same year Ipswich became a municipality – but Cr Pisasale said it would now be known as ‘Fire Station 101’.
Fire Station 101 will replicate what Chicago’s entrepreneurial hub for 250 digital start-ups has done in a facility known as ‘1871’.
“The digital hub will recognise the entrepreneurs in our city and support small business with understanding the NBN and making their businesses stronger,” Cr Pisasale said.
“It is about helping business grow and mentoring people so that we are keeping ahead of where technology is going and keeping ahead of where the jobs are going.
“The digital hub and the digital economy are all about the future for our kids. This is all about the next economy, and the digital economy is about us.
“Ipswich is going to get there before anyone else and it is great to get national recognition like this in Canberra at the National Press Club.”
Cr Pisasale said the revised name of ‘Fire Station 101’ made sense.
“We changed the name because everyone keeps calling it ‘the fire station’ and its address is 101 Limestone St,” he said.
“And when you are doing a basic course in anything, what is it called? 101.
“So it has already been determined that the digital hub will be known as ‘Fire Station 101’ and when it is ready it will be recognised all around the world.”