ABSTRACT
This chapter explores smart city roll-out in Newcastle, a regional centre in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales (NSW) which is rapidly becoming a showcase for smart urbanism in Australia. Using publicly available information on smart, alongside supplemental interviews, it sketches the type of smart city approach and initiatives that are taking hold in Newcastle, and explores the discrepancies between this and more abstract visions of the smart city. The chapter suggests that while Australian cities are broadly using smart as a way of retaining or driving economic growth and revitalisation, this is implemented in ways specific to each city's specific needs. By demanding that smart solutions are tailored to the specific needs of their city and by retaining ownership of infrastructure, the analysis specifically suggests the need for nuance in interpretations of the corporate role in the smart city.
