To commemorate Dirk Hartog's landing on the coast of Western Australia 400 years ago this year (some friendly contention still remains that he was the first to discover Australia) the Australian Government hosted a state visit by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. 

Welcomed by the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Senator the Hon James McGrath, IPWEA Australasia's CEO Robert Fuller was among the invited guests in Sydney. In addition to commemorating Dirk Hartog, the visit brought 26 Dutch company delegates on a business matching tour of Australia.

Lucy Turnbull, Chair of the Greater Sydney Committee, facilitated an excellent panel session between Dutch and Australian officials on the benefits of collaboration and how this is the new global way of getting business done today.

The signing of a number of Dutch-Australian Memorandum of Understandings for closer collaboration, including one with Mayor Cr Kay Fraser, Lake Macquarie City Council was the highlight of the visit. While in Australia, the delegation has met councils at Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Sydney, Ipswich, Adelaide and Sunshine Coast.

Focussing on smart city applications and innovation, street lighting and smart controls, guests were given an insight into the significant advancements in these fields that have been rolled out across Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Eindhoven in Holland. 

What was abundantly clear, is that Australia has a lot of catching-up to do in this area. 

This precisely why IPWEA has spearheaded the SLSC Programme and is also bringing a panel of overseas experts to the International Street Lighting + Smart Controls Conference in Brisbane 15-17 March 2017. 

The Australian Smart Communities Association (ASCA), of which IPWEA is a member, is congratulated in hosting such a focused and well-presented royal tour.