Australia’s ‘invisible infrastructure’ earns global recognition at World Government Summit
- Deep Hill Media
- Feb 10
- 3 min read
Australian social enterprise Resilient Ready has been named a Top 10 finalist in the Edge 50, a prestigious global list recognising 50 initiatives pushing the boundaries of what is possible in government.
The recognition places Resilient Ready’s Social Capital + Social Infrastructure Measurement Framework among the world’s most forward-thinking approaches to public value, resilience and governance alongside pioneering initiatives from across the globe.
The Edge 50 was unveiled at the World Government Summit in Dubai on February 3-5, alongside the launch of the new Edge of Government hub hosted by Apolitical and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation (MBRCGI).
The summit theme, Shaping Future Governments, highlighted practical innovations helping governments respond to increasingly complex social, economic and climate challenges.
Resilient Ready founder and CEO Renae Hanvin said the global recognition reflects a growing shift in how governments understand preparedness and public value.
“Social capital (the ties between people) and social infrastructure (the places where those ties are built) are often invisible in policy and investment decisions. Yet they are some of the strongest predictors of how communities cope, recover and adapt.”
Developed by Resilient Ready in collaboration with global social capital expert Professor Daniel Aldrich, the Social Capital + Social Infrastructure Measurement Framework provides governments with a consistent national way to describe, measure and value the human connections and community places that underpin resilience long before disaster strikes.
An accompanying online mapping tool, Sociabli, translates this data into interactive maps that reveal the strength of social networks and the density of places that enable connection – at the SA1 neighbourhood level, Australia’s lowest statistical geography.
This enables governments and communities to see where connections are strong, where gaps exist and where targeted investment can reduce risk before emergencies occur.
Now available for national scale up, the framework and tool were piloted through an Australian Government Disaster Ready Fund (DRF) Round 2 project across three South Australian communities: Adelaide City, Whyalla and Kangaroo Island, supported by a national advisory group led by the South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM).
On Kangaroo Island, the mapping confirmed what many locals experienced during the 2019–20 bushfires: that caravan parks and community halls function as critical lifelines during crisis and should be formally recognised as part of preparedness planning.
In Adelaide City, the data revealed “dead zones” of low connection linked to limited engagement with local places of connection.
And in Whyalla, strong close-knit networks were identified alongside opportunities to strengthen links between different community groups.
“It’s rare to see a country take global research and rigorously test it against such diverse local realities,” Professor Aldrich said.
“Validating the framework across these Australian pilot communities gives us confidence that this model can guide preparedness and investment worldwide.”
Being named a Top 10 finalist in the Edge 50 reflects years of applied work translating research into practical tools governments can use to strengthen communities before disaster strikes.
“Connection is our most powerful form of preparedness,” Ms Hanvin said.
“We now have the evidence to show where community connections are strong, where they need support, and how governments can invest earlier, not just respond later.”
The Edge of Government hub is designed to inspire public servants, policymakers and innovators globally by showcasing proven approaches to complex governance challenges.
Visit sociabli.resilientready.org to access:
National Social Capital + Social Infrastructure Measurement Framework
Sociabli, online mapping tool including data for the three pilot communities
This Creating a Social Capital + Social Infrastructure Measurement Framework to benefit every Australian project received funding from the Australian Government.
Global recognition can elevate methodological visibility, yet durability of a measurement framework depends on reproducibility and cross jurisdictional applicability. When https://www.hyperion-wines.co.nz The Pokies appears in unrelated governance discourse it highlights contextual drift, whereas real impact hinges on data quality, stakeholder uptake, and alignment with policy decision cycles.