Agenda

Tue 27 May 2025

View event details
8:00AM

Registration and Networking

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM (60 mins)

9:00AM

Opening from Public Sector Network & Acknowledgement of Country

9:00 AM - 9:10 AM (10 mins)

9:10AM

Welcome from Event Chair: Overview of the Day | Intro to Segment 1: People Leadership in the Digital Age

9:10 AM - 9:20 AM (10 mins)

Professor Swee L Mak PhD, MBA(Exec), GAICD, FIEAust Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation Capability) Professor of Innovation, RMIT University Melbourne
9:20AM
Keynote

Inspirational Keynote: Navigating the Digital Era: Essential Skills for Government Leaders

9:20 AM - 9:40 AM (20 mins)

The Hon. Victor Dominello Co-Founder, Future Government Institute
9:40AM
Keynote

Navigating the Digital Frontier: Empowering Public Sector Teams for Tomorrow

9:40 AM - 10:00 AM (20 mins)

Abhik Sengupta Principal Business Value Advisor, Atlassian

This session will unpack the key trends shaping public sector leadership in the wake of the Atlassian State of Teams 2025 Report. It will examine how evolving work dynamics are transforming team structures, operations, and leadership approaches across government. Abhik will share strategies for building a resilient and effective system of work - one that turns information into impact. The session will also explore actionable techniques to help leaders guide their teams through disruption, fostering adaptability, alignment, and long-term success.

10:00AM
Panel discussion

Panel: Strategising and Collaborating in Times of Need | Deep Dive into Talent Strategies in a Digital Era

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM (50 mins)

  • As leaders, how can we cultivate a leadership style that thrives amidst the complexities of tech team dynamics?
  • What leadership initiatives effectively promote diversity and drive inclusion within tech teams?
  • How should leaders utilise emotional intelligence to navigate the challenges unique to tech environments?
  • What strategies can leaders implement to attract, develop, and retain top tech talent during rapid industry changes?
  • In what ways can leaders champion ethical technology use within their teams and decision-making processes?
Professor Swee L Mak PhD, MBA(Exec), GAICD, FIEAust Facilitator
Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation Capability) Professor of Innovation, RMIT University Melbourne
Nicola Quin
Deputy Secretary Corporate & Delivery Services, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
Sam Jones
Executive Director Corporate Services, Office of Public Prosecutions Victoria
Marg Burge
Chief People Officer, Victorian Building Authority
Jennifer Dobell
Chief Operating Officer, Australian Financial Security Authority
Dr Emmanuelle Walkowiak
Vice Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow, RMIT
10:50AM

Morning Tea & Networking

10:50 AM - 11:20 AM (30 mins)

11:20AM

Welcome from Event Chair: Summary of Session 1 | Intro to Segment 2: Process

11:20 AM - 11:30 AM (10 mins)

Patricia Malowney Chief Accessibility Advocate, Department of Transport and Planning
11:30AM
Keynote

Beyond Automation: Leveraging Agentic AI for Seamless Public Service Delivery

11:30 AM - 11:50 AM (20 mins)

Emma Tordsson Principal Enterprise Architect, Australia & New Zealand, Workday

AI is evolving from driving efficiency & productivity through hyper automation & personalisation, to having intelligent and independent agency. This reshaping of workforce dynamics creates a pivotal moment for public sector leaders. This keynote explores both how emerging AI capabilities, such as AI Agents, are no longer just augmenting the workforce — they’re becoming collaborators, and how departments and agencies can embrace this transformation ethically, strategically, and effectively.

11:50AM
Panel discussion

Panel: Setting Your Team Up for Success | Implementing Practices for Efficient Workflows

11:50 AM - 12:40 PM (50 mins)

  • How can tech leaders align digital initiatives with governmental policies while leading through bureaucratic complexities?
  • In the role of a leader, how do you instil agile thinking to reshape traditional processes within the public sector?
  • As regulations evolve, what leadership strategies are key to balancing innovation with compliance?
  • From a leader's perspective, what are the most effective ways to manage resources to maximise impact in tech projects?
  • How should leaders approach vendor relationships to cultivate fruitful partnerships that drive technological advancement?
Christopher Grant
Service Owner – AppDev, Data and AI, Cenitex
Emma Jones
Deputy Government Statistician and Deputy Chief Executive for Technology Operations, Commercial & Collections, Stats NZ
Rodney Apostol
Chief Information Officer, Victorian Ombudsman
Mark Hawthorne
Public Sector Lead, Tungsten Automation
12:40PM

Lunch & Networking

12:40 PM - 1:40 PM (60 mins)

1:40PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 1: Thriving in the Digital Future

1:40 PM - 2:40 PM (60 mins)

Abhik Sengupta Principal Business Value Advisor, Atlassian
Dean Smith Head of Enterprise Australia/NZ + Public Sector Lead, Atlassian

The nature of work in Australian government agencies is evolving, with teams busier than ever but often struggling to achieve desired outcomes. There is a critical opportunity for government leaders to rethink approaches to teamwork and productivity. Join Atlassian's roundtable, where you'll explore:

  1. Applying AI for Impact: Practical ways to integrate AI into workflows to enhance efficiency and deliver measurable outcomes for government teams
  2. Building Effective Systems of Work: Strategies to align people, processes, and tools for achieving mission-critical objectives
  3. Leading Through Exponential Change: How to make teams confident and comfortable working in a heavily disrupted future state
1:40PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 2: Empowering Government Through Automation: Smarter Workforces, Streamlined Services

1:40 PM - 2:40 PM (60 mins)

Mark Hawthorne Public Sector Lead, Tungsten Automation
  • Empower Employees: Explore how automation helps employees manage increasing workloads more effectively, allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks.
  • Successful Automation Strategies: Discuss practical approaches to automating routine functions within government operations for improved efficiency and accuracy.
  • Continuous Process Improvement: Identify ways to enhance processes through continual automation efforts, leading to better service delivery and responsiveness to citizen needs.
1:40PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 3: Future Trends: Preparing for the Digital Shifts

1:40 PM - 2:40 PM (60 mins)

Julian Gilchrist Vice President, Experience & Engineering, DEPT®
  • AI in Action: Moving from Hype to Implementation: Exploring practical ways government can embed AI into core services to reduce administrative load, personalise citizen experiences — without losing sight of ethics and public trust.
  • Future-Proofing the Public Sector Workforce: Strategies for equipping teams with digital fluency, reimagining roles, and building internal capacity to lead transformation — from data literacy to change agility.
  • Learning from Global Leaders: What governments in regions like Estonia, the UK, and Singapore are doing to embrace digital maturity — and how Australia and New Zealand can adapt these lessons to our unique public sector landscape.
1:40PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 4: AI-enabled Transformation for Government | Re-shaping Functions, Processes, and Service Delivery

1:40 PM - 2:40 PM (60 mins)

Dean Lee Head of Public Sector, Newgen Software

Attendees will explore the unique challenges and strategic opportunities for government leaders implementing AI technologies. Join the session as the speaker outlines practical approaches for effective digital transformation in the public sector.

  • Build Digital Trust in the Age of AI: Learn practical steps government leaders can take to add AI while staying transparent and strengthening public confidence
  • Connect the Dots Without Ripping and Replacing: See how integrating AI with BPM, ECM, and CCM turns siloed processes into smooth, end-to-end services on top of existing systems
  • Measure What Matters Most: Understand why the real success metrics are citizen satisfaction, accessibility, and trust—not just cost saving
1:40PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 5: Empowering Forward-Thinking Government: Leveraging Modern Systems and AI

1:40 PM - 2:40 PM (60 mins)

Shan Moorthy Chief Technology Officer, Asia Pacific & Japan, Workday

To truly be forward-thinking, the public sector must embrace modern technologies. Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents an immense opportunity for the public sector to revolutionise operational efficiency, enhance agility, and foster data-driven decision-making. This roundtable discussion explores the practical implications of AI for state and federal agencies. We will delve into:

  • How AI can drive efficiency, improve service delivery to citizens, enhance decision-making, and foster innovation.
  • The workforce capabilities and system thinking needed to shift towards a continuously innovating public service
  • Strategies for overcoming challenges, ensuring responsible AI implementation, and examples of AI-driven capabilities that can achieve transformative outcomes in the public sector.
1:40PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 6: Securing and strategically leveraging Victorian Government data

1:40 PM - 2:40 PM (60 mins)

Andrew Monteleone Commercial Manager - Australian Public Sector, Iron Mountain
Katrina Yon Commercial Executive - Australian Public Sector, Iron Mountain

Iron Mountain hosts this focused roundtable for Victorian Government digital and data leaders to address the critical nexus of data security and strategic information management for enhanced public service delivery. Key challenges addressed include:

  • Data discovery across diverse agencies
  • Identifying hidden unstructured and semi-structured information
  • Unifying disparate data silos
  • Enabling secure data sharing for informed decision-making.

We will explore strategies for ensuring data quality and robust governance, balancing open data initiatives with stringent privacy protection. Ultimately, this session aims to foster collaboration on leveraging data – securely and strategically – to drive positive outcomes for Victoria's future.

1:40PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 7: Measuring Success: DevSecOps Metrics for Public Sector Value Delivery

1:40 PM - 2:40 PM (60 mins)

Andrew Haschka Chief Technology Officer, Asia Pacific & Japan, Gitlab
  • Creating meaningful security and delivery KPIs for government context
  • Demonstrating value and efficiency in public sector digital initiatives
1:40PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 8: Navigating AI and Data While Adhering to Ethical and Regulatory Guardrails

1:40 PM - 2:40 PM (60 mins)

Tyson Beattie Director - Victorian Government, Snowflake

Join us to explore how public sector leaders can harness AI and data to build a future-ready government. This roundtable will dive into responsibly leveraging generative AI for applications like predictive analytics and citizen safety, while adhering to ethical and regulatory guardrails.

Learn how our unified data platform enables secure, scalable innovation, addressing challenges like data silos and compliance. Share insights and ideas on how best to balance technological advancement with citizen trust to drive outcomes for Victoria’s digital transformation.

1:40PM
Roundtables

Roundtable 9: AI + Digital Resilience a Gamechanger for Australian Public Sector

1:40 PM - 2:40 PM (60 mins)

James Chong Innovation + Tesseract Lead, NCS
Martin Cass National State Government Lead, NCS

NCS recently commissioned IDC to undertake a global survey, finding a positive correlation between AI and Digital Resilience (DR) and that Australian organisations have low AI adoption and low digital resilience. Join us to explore how the resulting AI+DR matrix can be used by Australian public sector organisations to drive the appropriate interventions to mature their AI+DR and become a ‘game changer’.

2:40PM

Break

2:40 PM - 2:50 PM (10 mins)

2:50PM

Welcome from Event Chair: Summary of Session 2 | Intro to Session 3: Technology

2:50 PM - 3:00 PM (10 mins)

Patricia Malowney Chief Accessibility Advocate, Department of Transport and Planning
3:00PM
Keynote

Securing the Digital Future: How Integrated DevSecOps Platforms Protect the Public Sector Software Supply Chain

3:00 PM - 3:20 PM (20 mins)

Andrew Haschka Chief Technology Officer, Asia Pacific & Japan, Gitlab

As agencies accelerate digital transformation initiatives, they face mounting pressure to harmonise rapid software delivery with robust security measures. This session explores how the convergence of DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, and Value Stream Management (VSM) creates a comprehensive framework for secure, efficient software development. We'll examine practical strategies for integrating AI-powered security controls into development pipelines, leveraging VSM metrics to optimise security processes, and building resilient software supply chains.

Join us to unlock a seamless delivery pipeline, fortified security, and enhanced business value amidst the ever-evolving threat landscape

3:20PM
Panel discussion

Panel: Visionary Leadership: Navigating the Technological Landscape

3:20 PM - 4:10 PM (50 mins)

Jonas Petersen
Chief Digital Officer, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, WA
Elizabeth Wilson
Chief Information Officer, Victorian Department of Education
Nikhil Patinge
Director – WoVG Digital Integration Services | Technology & Digital Platforms, Department of Government Services
Michelle Fitzgerald
Group Chief Digital Officer, St Vincent’s Health Australia
Adam Carthew
Executive Director, Department of Government Services
Chikako Masuda
Head of Intelligence Research, Digital Agency, Government of Japan
James Chong
Innovation + Tesseract Lead, NCS
4:10PM

Closing Remarks: Summary of Segment 3

4:10 PM - 4:20 PM (10 mins)

Patricia Malowney Chief Accessibility Advocate, Department of Transport and Planning

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