This event is now complete
Local Government Focus Day Western Australia
Registration & Coffee
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM (30 mins)
Welcome from Public Sector Network
10:00 AM - 10:10 AM (10 mins)
Welcome from the Chair and Scene Setter
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM (20 mins)
Strategic Asset Management: Safeguarding Public Assets and Financial Sustainability
10:30 AM - 10:50 AM (20 mins)
- Proactive Maintenance for Long-Term Value: Implement just-in-time maintenance strategies to preserve the condition and performance of $3.1 billion in council assets, reducing costly repairs and extending asset lifespans.
- Integrating Financial and Asset Management Systems: Leverage asset management systems to align financial planning with asset upkeep, ensuring timely fund allocation for maintenance and upgrades.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Develop a comprehensive understanding of asset conditions and lifecycle needs to inform smarter funding strategies and maintain financial resilience.
Simplicity of Experience = Trust. How Can We Deliver a Personalised, Relevant Service to Build Citizen Confidence in Local Government? - Presented by Datacom
10:50 AM - 11:10 AM (20 mins)
We’ll be centering the keynote on real-world AI in practice within local government, drawing from active pilot examples of AI frameworks across Australian councils. Rather than speaking in abstract terms, the talk will focus on:
- Tangible outcomes from early-stage AI adoption (e.g. case triage, digital co-pilot workflows)
- Insights learned across different council sizes and contexts
- What “responsible AI” looks like in local government – governance, guardrails, and community trust
We’ll ground this in recent examples, and share what we’re seeing as most effective in driving both internal adoption and community-facing value.
Transforming Service Delivery in Local Government
11:10 AM - 11:30 AM (20 mins)
Elevating service delivery through maturity modelling, strategic planning and innovation.
Roundtable 1: From pilots to platforms: Turning AI experiments into scalable council capability
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM (60 mins)
- How councils are navigating the jump from experimentation to operationalisation
- What executive teams need in terms of change management, tooling, and ROI
- The blockers that stall momentum – and what’s actually working to overcome them
Roundtable 2: The Digital Spend Shift: AI and Emerging Tools for Sustainable Council Finances
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM (60 mins)
With councils under growing pressure to do more with less, the challenge of meeting rising ratepayer expectations amid tightening budgets is more pressing than ever. As the cost of living crisis deepens, collection rates are falling, and traditional debt recovery tools face increasing limitations. At the same time, hiring more staff simply isn’t an option for many councils.
This 60-minute roundtable will explore the financial and operational pain points councils face today, and how smart technology can bridge the gap. We'll open the floor to shared experiences and innovative solutions attendees have encountered in their own councils, fostering peer-driven insights and collaboration.
As part of this peer-led conversation, we’ll also explore emerging tools such as AI-powered voice technologies and flexible payment platforms that are helping councils streamline operations, reach harder-to-engage communities, and improve cost recovery.
Join us to reimagine how your council can adopt scalable, sustainable tools to future-proof your services, enhance citizen experience, and make every dollar go further.
Roundtable 3: Rethinking Citizen Engagement
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM (60 mins)
Join Salesforce, and Nathan Leverington and Steve McNally from Ennovative, for a focused discussion on creating exceptional citizen experiences, for both the public and your staff. Drawing on our direct experience working with councils across Australia, we’ll explore how modern technology can empower your council to become a Customer Experience Leader.In this session, we will demonstrate how to:
- Improve the citizen journey by streamlining processes and providing seamless engagement.
- Boost staff productivity and morale by eliminating manual, repeatable tasks.
- Enhance operational efficiency to increase first-call resolution rates and scale your services.
We’ll move beyond the buzzwords and show you real-world examples of how technology, integrated with your existing ERP systems, is delivering tangible outcomes for councils right now.
Roundtable 4: Redefining Council Services: Empowering Citizens with Always-On Digital Support
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM (60 mins)
- Deliver 24/7 citizen support through AI-enabled self-service across web, chat, and mobile platforms
- Alleviate pressure on frontline teams while ensuring equitable access to services
- Integrate AI with CRMs and case management systems to create a unified and efficient service journey.
Brunch & Networking
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM (30 mins)
Unified Digital Access: Transforming Local Government Services
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM (30 mins)
Discover how local governments can revolutionise service delivery by adopting a unified digital identity and central self-service platform. Drawing insights from successful models like the Danish Citizen Portal that have enhanced efficiency and citizen engagement. This session will inspire councils to collaborate and leverage existing state platforms to streamline citizen access to services.
Distilling Cyber Threat Reports - Finding Relevance Amongst the Noise for Your Organisation - Presented by Diversus
1:30 PM - 1:50 PM (20 mins)
- Staying abreast of the ever-changing cyber threat environment challenging cyber professionals
- Understanding and incorporating the current risk landscape into business decision making as a governance requirement
- Using the 2025 Arctic Wolf Threat Report as a source, this session provides practical guidance on how to think about risk in your environment, and how to use threat reports as an input without drowning in the detail
Panel Discussion: AI and Innovation in Local Councils: Harnessing Creativity and Technology for Better Public Services
1:50 PM - 2:25 PM (35 mins)
- How AI can drive innovative solutions to improve public services, problem-solving, and citizen engagement.
- Culture: How does technological innovation influence the workforce, workplace culture and employee engagement?
- Balancing innovation with data privacy, transparency, and fairness to ensure AI aligns with public trust and values.
Closing Remarks from the Chair
2:25 PM - 2:30 PM (5 mins)
Event Close
2:30 PM - 2:30 PM (0 mins)
