Councils may pocket millions in tech money

Local councils across Australia could pocket up to $5 million apiece to help solve niggling "everyday urban or regional" problems.

The federal government wants councils, companies, not-for-profits and research bodies to produce tech solutions such as "smart" street lighting, traffic sensors and detectors of infrastructure wear and tear.

Assistant cities minister Angus Taylor is willing to cough up between $100,000 and $5 million per grant out of a $50 million kitty to fund up to half of a project's cost.

"This is not just for metropolitan areas; good ideas come from everywhere and we welcome applications from across Australia," he said on Friday.

"We're looking for communities of all sizes and from all locations to put forward technology proposals that solve everyday urban or regional problems and have the potential to be scaled up and delivered nationwide."