Agenda

Thu 06 Mar 2025

View event details
8:00AM

Registration

8:00 AM - 8:45 AM (45 mins)

8:45AM

PSN Opening/Polling

8:45 AM - 9:00 AM (15 mins)

9:00AM
Keynote

Ministerial Address

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM (15 mins)

9:15AM
Industry Insights

Industry Perspective

9:15 AM - 9:35 AM (20 mins)

9:35AM
Keynote

Accelerating Smart, Simple, Connected and Secure Services Within SA Government – Assessing 2025 Priorities for Next-Gen Service Delivery and Innovation Capabilities

9:35 AM - 9:50 AM (15 mins)

Dr. Eva Balan-Vnuk Government Chief Information Officer, Department of Treasury and Finance
  • Unveiling the next phase of Digital, ICT and Cyber Security delivery – unpacking emerging requirements and key initiatives to accelerate SA public service capabilities into 2025 and beyond
  • Further embedding an entrepreneurial and innovative approach within SA public sector and the broader industry – leveraging the ecosystem’s capabilities through strategic collaboration and partnership to drive advancement
  • Embodying a bigger picture, fresh and creative, solutions-oriented mindset – and driving the change within your realm of influence
  • Keeping up with the rapid progression of AI – advancing maturity and capabilities, while navigating assurance, privacy, ethics, and engineering of AI rights
9:50AM
Fireside Chat

Making Cyber Security Everyone’s Responsibility

9:50 AM - 10:00 AM (10 mins)

Dr. Eva Balan-Vnuk Government Chief Information Officer, Department of Treasury and Finance
Will Luker Government Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Treasury and Finance
  • Human centred cyber security – what are you doing to empower your people?
  • What does it take to truly embed and maintain a robust cyber security culture?
  • Understanding everyday cyber threats in all their disguises – upskilling and educating all levels of SA Government
  • Embedding best practice throughout the SA government on the safe and ethical use of AI
10:00AM
Industry Insights

Industry Perspective

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

10:20AM
Panel discussion

Encapsulating and Executing the Vision for a Simple, Sophisticated and Trustworthy SA Public Service

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

  • What does an entrepreneurial and innovative approach look like within the 2025 public sector context? Navigating barriers, budget and risk.
  • ‘Service Simplicity’: sense-checking 2025 priorities for next-gen, simple and intuitive public service experience
  • Speed, sophistication, security and seamless interaction: rising to meet citizen/customer expectations
  • Traversing trust: unpacking the fundamentals, non-negotiables and critical considerations into 2025 and beyond to retain public confidence in government
Mahadhir Aziz
Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation
Professor Martin Westwell
Chief Executive, Department for Education
Dr Robyn Lawrence
CEO, Department for Health and Wellbeing
10:50AM

Morning Tea

10:50 AM - 11:30 AM (40 mins)

11:30AM
Digital Services & Customer Experience

Opening Remarks from Track Chair

11:30 AM - 11:40 AM (10 mins)

11:30AM
Data, Analytics & AI

Opening Remarks from Track Chair

11:30 AM - 11:40 AM (10 mins)

11:30AM
IT Modernisation and Cloud

Opening Remarks from Track Chair

11:30 AM - 11:40 AM (10 mins)

11:30AM
Workforce, Skills & Capability

Opening Remarks from Track Chair

11:30 AM - 11:40 AM (10 mins)

11:40AM
Keynote Digital Services & Customer Experience

Accelerating Digital: Driving the Digital Economy Through High-Impact Initiatives, Strategic and Sustainable Investments, And Inclusive Policies

11:40 AM - 11:50 AM (10 mins)

Mahadhir Aziz Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation
  • Driving the digital economy and navigating the next frontier of digital-first – meeting expectations for connected and responsive services
  • Taking advantage of digital advancements to increase the speed of government services, and creating a strong skills pipeline
  • Digital inclusivity: Driving greater digital equity
  • Future Government: assessing emerging trends and required capabilities
11:40AM
Keynote Data, Analytics & AI

Driving Capability Into 2025: Harnessing the Next Phase of Opportunity in Data, Analytics and AI

11:40 AM - 11:50 AM (10 mins)

Peter Worthington-Eyre Government Chief Data Officer, Department of Treasury and Finance
  • Moving from ‘data & analytics’ to ‘data & AI’: unlocking quality to become truly AI ready
  • Unlocking the value of SA’s vast data assets to enable service innovation and delivery
  • Building trust – how can we bring the public along for the journey?
11:40AM
Fireside Chat IT Modernisation and Cloud

Progressing Technology Maturity and IT Modernisation Within SA Public Sector: Unpacking Cloud Migration

11:40 AM - 11:49 AM (9 mins)

Richard Hill CIO, Department for Infrastructure and Transport
  • Sense-checking successful approaches toward IT modernisation – exploring promising initiatives leading into 2025 and continuing to build momentum
  • Leveraging cloud technologies to enhance operational performance and facilitate service innovation
  • Modernisation drivers and risks: how to meet the needs of continued digital transformation and effectively establish and prioritise a modernisation roadmap
11:40AM
Keynote Workforce, Skills & Capability

Future Skills Security - The 2025-2028 Workforce: Making Government an Employer of Choice and Mapping the Terrain of Anticipated Required Skillsets

11:40 AM - 11:50 AM (10 mins)

Erma Raineri Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, Office of the Commission for Public Sector Employment
  • The 2025-2028 skills gap – what are the emerging capability requirements and where do our efforts need to be focused?
  • What can we offer and where can we further develop our point of difference?
  • Creating pathways for progression between SA Agencies – how can we work more collaboratively to remain attractive to employees?
12:00PM
Industry Insights Digital Services & Customer Experience

Progressing AI Within CX – Opportunities for Advancement in Customer Insights and Interaction

12:00 PM - 12:20 PM (20 mins)

12:00PM
Industry Insights Data, Analytics & AI

Activating AI to Drive Enhanced, Next-Gen CX and Simplified Service Interactions – Next Steps.

12:00 PM - 12:20 PM (20 mins)

12:00PM
Industry Insights IT Modernisation and Cloud

Prioritising Security and Scalable Solutions

12:00 PM - 12:20 PM (20 mins)

12:00PM
Industry Insights Workforce, Skills & Capability

A Window into The Future: How To Use Skills, Science And AI To Innovate Public Sector Recruitment

12:00 PM - 12:20 PM (20 mins)

12:20PM
Panel discussion Digital Services & Customer Experience

Embedding Co-Design and Accessibility into Service Delivery to Create Experiences That Are Intuitive and User-Focused

12:20 PM - 12:50 PM (30 mins)

Jessica Pisani Executive Director, Strategic Engagement, Department of the Premier and Cabinet
  • Inclusive by design, accessible by default – revolutionising the approach to ‘no one left behind’.
  • Latest strategies, tools and technologies to better understand induvial customer needs and designing digital/in-person service accordingly
  • User-Centricity – harnessing co-creation and user feedback to design next gen digital experiences citizens want and need
  • Leveraging co-design for first nations engagement and ‘closing the gap’ deliverables.
12:20PM
Panel discussion Data, Analytics & AI

Leveraging AI to Maximise Efficiencies in Operational Performance and Impact: Tangible ML/AI Use Cases

12:20 PM - 12:50 PM (30 mins)

  • Moving from ‘data & analytics’ to ‘data & AI’: unlocking quality to become truly AI ready
  • Unlocking the value of SA’s vast data assets to enable service innovation and delivery
  • Building trust – how can we bring the public along for the journey?
  • Enabling hyper-scalability – mastering MVG: Minimal Viable Governance
Benjamin Lamont
Manager, Technology Strategy and Data, Australian Federal Police
Shikha Sharma
CIO, Department of Human Services
Sally Smith
Deputy Chief Executive, Department for Housing and Urban Development
12:20PM
Panel discussion IT Modernisation and Cloud

Strengthening SA Government’s Tech Workforce: Powering Diversity and Inclusion to Progress Capabilities and Challenge the Status Quo

12:20 PM - 12:50 PM (30 mins)

Dr. Eva Balan-Vnuk Government Chief Information Officer, Department of Treasury and Finance
  • Empowering women to pursue careers in tech, digital and cyber: how can we best equip them with the skills and knowledge to actively shape Australia’s technology landscape?
  • Where do the current challenges and barriers exist preventing women from advancing in tech? Exploring inclusive policies & practices
  • Inspiring creativity, innovation & technical proficiency among emerging tech talent and leaders
  • Fostering leadership qualities among technical talent, and nurturing new perspectives
12:20PM
Panel discussion Workforce, Skills & Capability

Empowering a Progressive and Future-Ready SA Public Sector by Strategically Developing and Recruiting Future Skillsets

12:20 PM - 12:50 PM (30 mins)

  • Building a talent pipeline for AUKUS
  • Creating and upskilling a diverse workforce: leveraging underutilised skillsets within refugee, neurodivergent and first nations peoples
  • Making SA public sector the #1 choice for top talent: Unpacking creative and effective recruitment strategies
  • Avoiding ‘talent leakage’ to keep SA public sector skills inhouse: referring talent and creating pathways for progression between Agencies
Sally Nicholas
Executive Director, People & Culture, Department of Human Services
Graeme Jackson
Executive Director, People and Corporate Services, Department for Infrastructure and Transport
Billie-Jo Barbara
Former CHRO, Department for Child Protection
12:50PM

Lunch/Theatre

12:50 PM - 2:00 PM (70 mins)

2:00PM
Digital Services & Customer Experience

Welcome Back – Chair

2:00 PM - 2:05 PM (5 mins)

2:00PM
Data, Analytics & AI

Welcome Back – Chair

2:00 PM - 2:05 PM (5 mins)

2:00PM
IT Modernisation and Cloud

Welcome Back – Chair

2:00 PM - 2:05 PM (5 mins)

2:00PM
Workforce, Skills & Capability

Welcome Back – Chair

2:00 PM - 2:05 PM (5 mins)

2:05PM
Fireside Chat Digital Services & Customer Experience

‘Future Health’: Driving Service Excellence and Intuitive Interactions to Build Trust and Deliver the Next Generation of Health Care

2:05 PM - 2:25 PM (20 mins)

Susan Pearce Secretary, NSW Health
  • Delivering a personalised, digitally enabled health service to NSW citizens – unpacking successes to date, and assessing priorities into 2025
  • Unlocking value-based healthcare, the integration of care, and improving the patient experience
  • Balancing digitisation and self-service with human connections: Striking the X-factor
  • Tapping into the value of collaboration and partnerships
2:05PM
Fireside Chat Data, Analytics & AI

Unlocking the Next Realm of Data AI Opportunities Within Education

2:05 PM - 2:25 PM (20 mins)

Dan Hughes CIO, Department for Education
  • Pushing for innovation, while navigating risk, ethics and AI bias – developing responsible AI application
  • Actionable AI: Democratising secure generative AI tools into everyday activity
  • The impact of generative AI: exploring implications, requirements and opportunities within SA Government
  • Exploring different models of access to AI through the organisation: GenAI platforms, productivity tools, and enterprise tools
2:05PM
Keynote IT Modernisation and Cloud

Unlocking the Potential of Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) Within Department for Child Protection SA

2:05 PM - 2:25 PM (20 mins)

Nikunj Mandlas Chief Information Officer, Department for Child Protection SA
  • Defining your strategy for modernisation to achieve agility, resilience and innovation and overcome legacy system limitations to enable emerging applications and tools
  • Achieving simplification rather than proliferation of technology
  • Overcoming legacy system limitations to enable emerging applications and tools
  • Navigating the logistics: sense-checking successful strategies for integration
2:05PM
Fireside Chat

Advancing SA’s Defence Capabilities: Fostering a Vibrant Defence and Space Research and Innovation Ecosystem

2:05 PM - 2:25 PM (20 mins)

Matt Opie CEO, Defence SA
  • Unveiling priority defence innovation initiatives into 2025 and beyond
  • Creating a strong workforce and skills pipeline for the defence and space sector
  • How do we further progress and facilitate innovation in the SA defence ecosystem?
  • Effective approaches to harnessing collaboration between industry, defence, academia and government
2:25PM
Industry Insights Digital Services & Customer Experience

Advancing Government-To-Citizen Digital Experiences Without Compromising Data Privacy

2:25 PM - 2:45 PM (20 mins)

2:25PM
Industry Insights Data, Analytics & AI

Make Your Data Truly AI Ready – How Do You Set Yourself Up for Success Tomorrow?

2:25 PM - 2:45 PM (20 mins)

2:25PM
Industry Insights IT Modernisation and Cloud

Rising Above Uncertainty: Safeguarding Systems through Digital Resilience

2:25 PM - 2:45 PM (20 mins)

2:25PM
Industry Insights Workforce, Skills & Capability

Modernising Recruitment and Retention in the Public Sector: Critical Next Steps and Key Considerations to Power the Potential of People

2:25 PM - 2:45 PM (20 mins)

2:45PM
Panel discussion Digital Services & Customer Experience

Government Interactive: The Trust Trifecta: Simplicity, Security & Serviceability – How to Hit the Pinnacle of CX Through Meeting the Foundational Human Need of Trust

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM (30 mins)

  • Meeting needs = trust. How do we build and retain a solid connection with the customer?
  • Sense-checking serviceability: How can we become better equipped to understand emerging needs and promptly cater to these?
  • Building a ‘simple’ service experience that meets all customer expectations
2:45PM
Panel discussion Data, Analytics & AI

Applied Ethics in Artificial Intelligence: Trustworthy AI – Are Your AI Systems Safe and Responsible?

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM (30 mins)

  • Emerging regulatory landscape for AI in public sector.
  • Implementing bias evaluation to ensure ethical AI for inclusive and effective solutions
  • Applied AI risk management and governance
  • Exploring methods and tools for assessing and mitigating bias in AI datasets and models to adhere to ethical standards
Dr Melanie McGrath
Research Fellow, Human Trust in Collaborative Intelligence Systems, Data 61 CSIRO
Ben Taylor
Assistant Commissioner, Data Insights, Australian Taxation Office
Jeannie Sim
Chief Digital Health Officer & Director Cybersecurity and Assurance, Department of Health
Dr Melissa McCradden
AI Director, Women's and Children's Hospital Network
2:45PM
Panel discussion IT Modernisation and Cloud

Interactive/Debate: CIO Panel: Treating Legacy Debt Whilst Meeting the Tech Challenge: Building A Compelling Business Case in the Tech Arms Race

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM (30 mins)

  • Treating your legacy debt while meeting the technology challenge – how do you make good on both?
  • Navigating high storage costs associated with emerging technology – do you pay up or stay behind?
  • The CIO challenge of bringing the frontline narrative to your organisation, then the business narrative.
  • Developing an operationally focused business case that talks to the narrative of government – how can you convince government to invest?
Nathan Heeney
Chief Information Officer, Australian Federal Police
Stuart Watt
Chief Information Officer, Department of Primary Industries and Regions
Chris Bernardi
Chief Operating Officer /Chief Financial Officer, Department for Education
2:45PM
Panel discussion Workforce, Skills & Capability

The Evolving Intersection Between People and AI/Technology, And How to Align the Two for the Greatest Efficiency, Excellence, and Productivity.

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM (30 mins)

  • Which tasks should humans let go? Aligning humans and machines to their individual strengths for ultimate collaboration and efficiency
  • The new workforce requirements: upskilling staff to partner with AI
  • Where to apply technology, and what to leave to people
  • Aligning technology, people and process strategies to hit the sweet spot in operational excellence
  • Leveraging human strengths: making people a pillar in your strategy
Nikunj Mandlas
Chief Information Officer, Department for Child Protection SA
Mahadhir Aziz
Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation
Linda Abrams-South
Executive Director, Corporate Services, Courts Administration Authority
3:15PM
Industry Insights Digital Services & Customer Experience

Strengthening Digital Foundations and Maximising the Benefits of Digital Technologies

3:15 PM - 3:35 PM (20 mins)

3:15PM
Industry Insights Data, Analytics and AI

Demystifying AI: Where Are We, and Where Are We Going? How To Take Advantage of What’s Coming Next ...

3:15 PM - 3:35 PM (20 mins)

3:15PM
Industry Insights IT Modernisation and Cloud

How To Achieve a Clean Core in The Cloud

3:15 PM - 3:35 PM (20 mins)

3:15PM
Industry Insights Workforce, Skills & Capability

Utilising Emerging Technology to Innovate the People Practices of the Public Service In SA

3:15 PM - 3:35 PM (20 mins)

3:35PM
Fireside Chat Digital Services & Customer Experience

Accelerating Service Excellence and Experience Within Revenue NSW and RevenueSA

3:35 PM - 3:55 PM (20 mins)

Scott Johnson Deputy Secretary, Chief Commissioner, Revenue NSW
Julie Holmes Commissioner of State Taxation, Revenue SA
  • Keeping up with the increasing pressure and expectation on fast delivery, excellent and personalised customer service – what are the capabilities needed to meet this in 2025?
  • Trust: innovation and delivery vs privacy and security. Are they opposing forces and how do we handle these together where trust in government is an inherent battle
  • Delivering on the current and emerging needs of citizens – Creating data driven organisations, continual customer feedback, culture of continuous improvement, empowering teams to innovate
3:35PM
Keynote Data, Analytics and AI

Assessing the Threat and Potential of LLMs: Remaining in AI Sovereignty Within SA

3:35 PM - 3:55 PM (20 mins)

Professor Anton van den Hengel Director, Centre for Augmented Reasoning (CAR) Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML), University of Adelaide
  • The future of LLMs and the need for SA AI ownership: Will we take control or outsource to USA?
  • The opportunity to do a better job of governance.
  • Weighing the opportunities and risks of embedding LLMs within SA Government
  • How LLMs surpass ethical AI as the critical consideration we should be addressing
  • Improving the management of information security risks in the use of LLMs
3:35PM
Keynote IT Modernisation and Cloud

Creating the Tech Foundation to Enable Modern Digital Service Delivery: Unpacking 2025 Priorities

3:35 PM - 3:55 PM (20 mins)

  • Shaping the service of tomorrow: The vision for digital public services into 2025 and beyond
  • Navigating the next frontier of digital-first citizens and the technology requirements to underpin next-gen digital delivery- meeting expectations for connected and responsive services
  • Defining your strategy for modernisation to achieve agility, resilience and innovation
  • Technology as an enabler of modern service delivery: creating the right foundation to support future innovation
3:35PM
Fireside Chat Workforce, Skills & Capability

Navigating Psycho-Social and Psychological Safety

3:35 PM - 3:55 PM (20 mins)

Martyn Campbell Commissioner for Consumer & Business Services, Attorney-General’s Department
  • Demystifying psychosocial and psychological safety: Understanding the new legislation and how to implement it
  • Avoiding the 60-hour work week: Ensuring work health and safety regulations are adhered to:
  • Breaking the mold of how people are working and why they are working the way they are
  • defining what a safe workplace looks like and the role of the employer in facilitating it
3:55PM
Panel discussion Digital Services & Customer Experience

Panel/Poll: Hitting the Pinnacle of Service Delivery Through Creating an Efficient, Fast, Accurate, and Seamless Service

3:55 PM - 4:30 PM (35 mins)

  • OPEX for CX: Unpacking successful approaches, tools and strategies to modernising service delivery
  • Breaking down barriers when innovating within government
  • Assessing emerging demands on service capability -where do the priorities challenges and opportunities lie in 2025
  • Integrating people, process and technology to drive effective operational innovation and better customer outcomes
Kerrie Mahon
Deputy CEO, Clinical System Support & Improvement, Department for Health and Wellbeing
Professor Keith McNeil
Commissioner, Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health
Suzanne Stew
Deputy CE/Deputy Secretary, Service Delivery, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment NZ
3:55PM
Keynote Data, Analytics and AI

Enabling a Culture of Strategic Decision Making: The Intersection Between Humans, Data and AI.

3:55 PM - 4:30 PM (35 mins)

Adam Wilson Chief Executive Officer, Essential Services Commission
3:55PM
Panel discussion IT Modernisation and Cloud

Future CIO/CTO: The Art of Mastering a Constantly Evolving Role

3:55 PM - 4:30 PM (35 mins)

  • The art of navigating multiple technology terrains – keeping up with ever-changing business and citizen digital demands and scaling initiatives
  • Developing the technology workforce required to meet future demands – empowering employees to meet digital/ IT business demands and prioritising future-oriented skills
  • Making the right investment decisions amidst competing priorities – using discernment in new technology and digital services
  • Powering collaboration to drive improved business outcomes – creating and fostering an innovation ecosystem
Richard Hill
CIO, Department for Infrastructure and Transport
Elise Vervetjes
Chief Information Officer, SA Water
Dan Hughes
CIO, Department for Education
3:55PM
Panel discussion Workforce, Skills & Capability

Panel/Poll: Accelerating State Capability and Innovation: Supporting A Vibrant Economy by Growing And Advancing SA’s Technology Ecosystem

3:55 PM - 4:30 PM (35 mins)

  • Strengthening the states research and innovation capabilities
  • Attracting and retaining key talent for the State
  • Accelerating research capability and increasing awareness of critical technology in AI, Cyber, Quantum and photonics
  • Partnerships: government and academia collaboration to drive industrial outcomes
  • Driving industry adoption and collaboration with AI and innovation
Di Dixon
State Project Lead, Lot Fourteen, Department of Premier and Cabinet SA
Professor Anton van den Hengel
Director, Centre for Augmented Reasoning (CAR) Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML), University of Adelaide
Dr Andrew Dunbar
Executive Director, Research and Innovation, Department of State Development
Lea Diffey
Deputy Director-General, Innovation, Department of Tourism and Sport QLD
4:30PM
Digital and Customer Experience

Showcase Report – Chair

4:30 PM - 4:40 PM (10 mins)

4:30PM
Data, Analytics and AI

Showcase Report – Chair

4:30 PM - 4:40 PM (10 mins)

  • Building the culture on data assets, security and data analytics
  • Driving better decision making and problem solving within the organization
  • Embedding smarter data and smarter analytics initiatives
  • Working collaboratively: Discerning and integrating human and AI strengths and skillsets for optimal business outcomes
4:30PM
IT Modernisation and Cloud

Showcase Report – Chair

4:30 PM - 4:40 PM (10 mins)

4:30PM
Workforce, Skills & Capability

Showcase Report - Chair

4:30 PM - 4:40 PM (10 mins)

4:40PM

Networking Drinks

4:40 PM - 4:40 PM (0 mins)

Questions?

See our FAQs or get in touch

Ready to register?

Registration is free for government

Ready to sponsor?

Limited packages available