Public video-conferencing booths that give Canberrans easier access to officials could form part of a "digital-first'' overhaul of the ACT government.
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The government plans to use a new focus on digitisation to improve service delivery and boost Canberra's IT sector.
Deputy Chief Minister and Treasurer Andrew Barr visited San Francisco and Silicon Valley earlier this month where he held talks with technology companies, including Cisco Systems.
Mr Barr said "Ask the expert'' video-conferencing booths used by Cisco were the sort of technology that could be adopted by the ACT.
"Say you want to know more about licensing or running an event: you can hop into the booth and dial up the person who can give you this advice,'' he said. "You don't have to come in and have meetings with them at all.
"That way it would be easier for people to get access and have a direct communication with various specialist areas of territory government where there is a service-delivery interface.
"I think we will be moving to that and that sort of technology and capability, particularly once there's further rollout of the national broadband network.''
Mr Barr said there would be a significant increase in the pace of digitisation of government services next year. This would create opportunities for the local IT industry to develop solutions for the government in areas such as transport logistics, health and enabling online enrolment in schools.
"Everything will go digital in the coming time and the opportunity here is to support an entire new industry for Canberra through the government as a purchaser for these services,'' Mr Barr said.
"Once some of these things are developed for us they can then be sold to other governments elsewhere in Australia and elsewhere in the world.''
Mr Barr also used the trip to speak with representatives of small and mid-sized software companies interested in establishing Australian operations.
He told companies interested in doing business with the federal government that it could be sensible for them to base their Australian operations in Canberra.
"It makes sense if they want to do business with the Australian government,'' he said.
Mr Barr also examined opportunities for Canberra IT firms to take advantage of the Australian-US free trade agreement by expanding into the US market.
Mr Barr said the government would be careful not to "pick winners'' when assisting the local technology industry.
"The best thing that we can do is go to the market place with our particular needs as a government around our own service delivery.
"But then also try and make the connections that some of these smaller firms need to make with the multinationals and with the Australian government in particular.''
