New South Wales has unveiled its ambitious Digital Strategy, outlining the path toward a more inclusive, secure, and productive digital future. Released in October 2024, the strategy is designed to transform how digital technologies are used across government services, ensuring they meet the needs of all people in the state.
At the heart of the strategy are five critical missions, which aim to improve public service delivery, increase the state’s productivity, and maintain trust in government. The strategy’s vision is clear: digital technology must serve a purpose, rather than just being implemented for its own sake.
One of the key goals of the strategy is to ensure digital services are accessible to everyone in NSW. With over 8 million people living in the state, the government is committed to designing services that meet the diverse needs of the population, making sure that digital tools bridge, rather than widen, the gap for vulnerable groups.
Five Missions of the NSW Digital Strategy:
- Digital Access and Inclusion – Ensuring government services are available to all residents, regardless of their background or abilities.
- Improving Service Delivery – Leveraging emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to boost productivity and drive local economic growth.
- Trust and Security – Ensuring that digital services are reliable, stable, and secure, particularly as the use of data and AI expands.
- Safety and Resilience – Building digital solutions to support emergency management, keeping communities safe both online and offline.
- Enhancing Public Sector Capability – Empowering the public sector workforce with the digital skills needed to meet modern challenges.
The strategy also emphasizes the importance of AI and data security. As these technologies become integral to everyday services, the government is committed to ensuring their ethical use. This includes making decisions with transparency and accountability, particularly in sectors like healthcare and emergency management.
An example of the strategy’s impact is seen in the Hazards Near Me app, which enables faster emergency notifications during natural disasters. What once took up to 30 minutes for alerts to reach people now happens in just three minutes, potentially saving lives and property. Additionally, the Single Digital Patient Record project aims to improve healthcare outcomes by providing seamless access to patient information, allowing better decision-making.
To support this digital shift, Digital NSW plays a central role in guiding the state’s digital transformation. By collaborating with government agencies, industry, and academia, the initiative seeks to address challenges and create opportunities for the public sector to innovate and improve service delivery.
With its five missions, the NSW Digital Strategy aims to make technology a powerful enabler of government goals. By embracing digital tools in a strategic way, the state hopes to increase public sector productivity, foster trust in government, and build a safer, more resilient community for the future.
For more information on the NSW Digital Strategy, visit NSW Digital Strategy.