Australia’s local governments are under pressure like never before. Balancing community expectations with shrinking budgets has always been a challenge, but the current landscape presents an especially complex set of demands. In recent years, high-profile cyber-security breaches have shaken public trust, project cost overruns have attracted media scrutiny, and the post-pandemic shift to hybrid work has placed new strains on connectivity and IT infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the rise of Smart Cities is driving a rapid expansion in Internet of Things (IoT) deployments — from connected bins and smart lighting to traffic sensors and environmental monitoring. Each new device adds value but also complexity, particularly when it comes to managing mobile and remote ICT assets across diverse council functions.
In this environment, how local governments handle their ICT operational management is not just a matter of efficiency. It’s a matter of resilience, transparency, and the capacity to deliver better community services.
Figure1, clockwise from top left: cellular-enabled IoT unit monitoring air quality and noise levels in a public area; Telestar governance dashboards providing cost and usage analytics and optimisations, and oversight of remote connectivity; Telestar-Link Nomadic™, a rugged in-field comms unit integrating Starlink® satellite, multi-band cellular and mesh radio for emergency teams; and the increasing use of multiple ICT endpoints by local government field teams improves productivity but can risk cost overruns and security gaps if not backed by ICT operational management.
Across Australia, councils are grappling with multiple interrelated technology challenges:
– Budget constraints
– Cyber-security concerns
– Remote and hybrid work
– Smart City complexity
– Public accountability
These pressures demand a more proactive and efficient approach to ICT management. And yet, many councils continue to handle cyber-security, device procurement, staging, support, and asset lifecycle management using fragmented or ad hoc internal processes.
There is a better way.
At Telestar, we work with local governments to provide fully managed ICT operations tailored to local environments. From zero-trust access control to smartphones and tablets to laptops and IoT endpoints, our services help councils reduce cost, simplify management, and increase security — all while freeing up internal teams to focus on high-value work.
A key pain point for many councils is the overhead involved in provisioning, supporting, and replacing mobile ICT devices, including IoT devices. Telestar’s Device Lifecycle Management service eliminates this burden by handling everything from procurement and kitting to deployment, support, and end-of-life recycling.
Adopting a managed operational model also gives councils better control over ICT costs. With Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) options and transparent monthly billing, Telestar helps councils move away from lumpy capital expenditures and unpredictable support costs.
Security and compliance is no longer just a concern for federal departments — it’s now front and centre for local government, too. Zero-trust access control can dramatically reduce the risk of intrusion into core systems. Mobile devices, if not properly managed, are a potential weak point in any organisation’s cybersecurity posture.
As councils adopt more IoT and smart infrastructure, the number and diversity of connected devices continues to grow. Telestar’s managed services provide the operational backbone needed to support these rollouts.
Ultimately, local government IT leaders need to deliver more with less — more secure, more mobile, and more responsive digital services, all while managing risk and controlling cost.
Telestar provides the operational backbone to make that possible, all with centralised online visibility for efficient governance. By partnering with councils across Australia, we bring industry expertise, proven processes, and a flexible service model that adapts to local priorities.
To learn more about how Telestar supports local governments, send us a note and start the conversation.
Telestar Communications is a leading Australian provider of ICT management services, supporting organisations across government and enterprise. With over 900,000 ICT services and devices under management, our solutions include analytics and expense management, device lifecycle management, mobile fleet operations, DaaS, and governance frameworks, all tailored to the unique needs of each organisation.
