Smart futures for the ACT region: Telecommuter hubs feasibility study Help us help you achieve a better lifestyle/business/community Sustaining Our Towns is funded by the NSW Environmental Trust

The problem: commuting costs people, employers and the community Source: ABS Census Approximately 36% of working age population of Palerang

Costs: People Health impacted by stress Work-life balance – less time Job opportunities limited to those within commuter distance Large ecological footprint – especially for rural residents Petrol and other travel costs

Costs: Employers Parking provision Office space and facilities Environmental footprint – corporate responsibility Productivity and absenteeism Recruitment and retention of staff – limited to commutable distance

Costs: Community Traffic & pollution Accident & injury Loss of participation in local economies Loss of participation in local communities Higher road maintenance and greater use of public facilities Larger environmental footprint

Is increased tele-working a solution? ImpactChangeApprox value ($m) Time savings20 million hrs in commuting 630 Fuel savings120 million litres of fuel160 Carbon emissions avoided million tonnes of CO 2 e 6 Congestion costs avoided5% fall in traffic470 Overall value of 10% of population teleworking 50% of the time is $1.2 billion. Source: Impacts of Teleworking under the NBN, Access Economics (July 2010) Teleworking is working all or part of the time away from your employers’ office. Teleworkers work from home, in their cars or at tele-centres.

What might it look like? More employers facilitating their employees to work from home more often Modest re-fit to multi-function community centres etc to provide technological access for community, tele-workers, training etc Purpose-built centres in regional centres with priority NBN access, professional office surroundings, services, libraries and co- location of local business A range of models including:

Our project 1.Recruit champions & engage local community 2.On-line survey of potential users’ needs, barriers & opportunities 3.Research ACT employer needs, barriers & opportunities 4.Research hub options and costs in Bungendore region 5.Develop business plan / feasibility report

Employers: Australian Federal Government Dept Broadband, Communications & Digital Economy Policy Plans/Procedures Practice Digital economy Goals (includes teleworking) Roll-out of NBN Whole of Government ICT Workforce Plan (Includes mobility strategy and teleworking policy) Australian Public Service Commission Secretaries ICT Governance Board Teleworking Unit Anecdotal evidence of isolated cases of teleworking across the Public Service.

Other Employers EmployerRelevant Policy NSW GovernmentRecommitment to decentralisation ACT GovernmentCommitment to cut 40% of 1990 greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 Local governmentAnecdotal evidence of tele-commuting Private sectorNAB, American Express, IBM – utilise remote or tele-working

Our strategy The Sustaining Our Towns feasibility study (with Bungendore region focus) is a way to answer the question – are there enough push factors that such an initiative could be viable in the short to medium future? If yes, work with Regional Development Australia Southern Inland and SEROC to develop a regional study and proposal to fund infrastructure costs

Are you a potential tele-commuter? Fill out our survey, here or on-line Join our list Become a champion within your organisation

Are you a potential business collaborator? Join our list Let’s talk! Become a local champion for our project!

Teleworking resources APSC Teleworking for ITC staff NSW Government RTA Tele-working Manual (includes everything about setting up in your workplace) rking/index.html rking/index.html Tele-working clip centre/videos/do-something-chairman-jon-dee/ centre/videos/do-something-chairman-jon-dee/

Barriers & Opportunities: People Have to make changes to lifestyles and timetables Potential to feel isolated Balance changes in where you shop/access other facilities with more time and increased availability of local facilities Greater use of social networks, Tele- commuter centres and existing local facilities

Barriers and Opportunities: Employers Trust Security Reliability of technology Set-up costs Increases with greater experience of tele- commuting No real issues NBN rollout Less than savings

Barriers and Opportunities: Community Lack of available office space Lack of office services Local shopping/ business limitations Refit existing buildings, look to funding purpose built Business opportunity!!

What do we need from our champions? Promote our project through your normal work and networks Be available for occasional strategic advice If you see an opportunity, let us know and help us seize it! Help us recruit other champions in useful places!