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Agenda |

Victoria 2027

Government Innovation Showcase Victoria 2027

 Tuesday, 16 Mar 2027

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Sessions

8:00AM

Registration, Coffee & Hellos

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

Settle in, grab a coffee, and meet a few friendly faces before we begin.

9:00AM

State Scene Setter: Government Spending, Direction and Priorities

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

Savoy Ballroom

Judy Hurditch
Managing Director and Principal Analyst, Intermedium

A short briefing from the Chair to get everyone aligned, comfortable, and ready for a great day of ideas and connection.

9:15AM
Ministerial Address

Ministerial Address

9:15 AM - 9:25 AM (10 mins)

Savoy Ballroom

9:25AM
Keynote

From Digital Transformation to Government Transformation: Building Victoria’s Future Capability

9:25 AM - 9:45 AM (20 mins)

  • Aligning Victoria’s digital transformation agenda with community expectations and government priorities
  • Moving from individual agency transformation to connected whole-of-government digital ecosystems
  • Creating scalable digital foundations that enable faster service innovation
  • Balancing investment in emerging technology with sustainable operational models
  • Strengthening digital leadership, governance, and accountability across departments
  • Defining the capabilities required for the next decade of public sector transformation
9:45AM
Industry Insights

Partner Perspective

9:45 AM - 10:05 AM (20 mins)

10:05AM
Panel Discussion

Executive Panel: Victorian Government 2027: Immediate Priorities for a Achieving a More Productive and Efficient and Tech-Enabled Victorian Public Service

10:05 AM - 10:40 AM (35 mins)

Sven Bluemmel
Victorian Electoral Commissioner, Victorian Electoral Commission
Argiri Alisandratos
Deputy Secretary, Disability, Fairness & Emergency Management, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
Michelle Rennie
Executive Director, Information Governance and Keeper of Public Records, Department of Government Services

  • Simplifying government through shared capability: What immediate actions can agencies take to reduce duplication, remove unnecessary processes and use shared platforms, services and standards to make government easier to navigate?
  • Raising the standard of public experience: What should Victorians realistically expect from modern government services, and how can shared digital foundations help deliver simpler, faster and more seamless experiences across agencies?
  • Prioritising digital service transformation: Which Victorian government services should become fully digital by 2028, and where should government retain human-assisted pathways to support inclusion, trust and complex needs?
  • Accelerating AI-enabled government: How are agencies managing AI-driven change today, and how can shared governance, reusable tools and common implementation models help scale adoption safely through 2027?
  • Building the workforce of the future: What capabilities will public servants need in an AI-enabled environment, and how can government rapidly build the skills, leadership and operating models required to work across agency boundaries?
  • Turning ambition into measurable impact: How can agencies ensure digital, AI and shared services investments deliver tangible improvements in productivity, service quality, cost reduction and outcomes for Victorians?
10:40AM
Industry Insights

Partner Perspective

10:40 AM - 11:00 AM (20 mins)

11:00AM

Morning Tea & Mingling

11:00 AM - 11:40 AM (40 mins)

It's time to grab a coffee - connect, recharge and explore our exhibition floor before the next discussions begin!

11:40AM

Choose one · 11:40 AM - 11:50 AM (10 mins) · 3 options

11:40AM

Welcome from Track Chair

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

11:40AM

Welcome from Track Chair

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

11:40AM

Welcome from Track Chair

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

11:50AM

Choose one · 11:50 AM - 12:10 PM (20 mins) · 3 options

11:50AM
Keynote

Digital by Design: Using Technology to Enable Better Policing

11:50 AM - 12:10 PM (20 mins)

Fiona Sparks
Director, Continuous Improvement Uplift & Technology, Victoria Police

  • Turning frontline insights and user needs into practical digital and service improvements
  • Building a culture of continuous improvement that connects people, process and technology
  • Using data, technology and smarter ways of working to reduce friction and improve experiences
  • Lessons from Victoria Police on embedding sustainable improvement across a complex, customer-focused organisation
11:50AM
Keynote

Data as Strategic Infrastructure: Powering AI, Better Decisions and Smarter Victorian Government

11:50 AM - 12:10 PM (20 mins)

Amjad Bashir
Chief Data Officer, Department of Education

  • The foundation for AI: How do we strengthen data quality, governance, privacy and accountability frameworks to support AI solutions?
  • Data that drives action: How can agencies move beyond dashboards and reporting to embed real-time insights directly into operational and policy decisions?
  • How can we better leverage predictive analytics and AI to anticipate demand, identify emerging risks and intervene earlier?
  • Information for every leader: What should executives expect from modern decision intelligence, and how can trusted insights become available in real time?

11:50AM
Fireside Chat

Redesigning Government Operations in the AI Era to Streamline Processes, Improve Efficiency and Boost Workforce Productivity

11:50 AM - 12:10 PM (20 mins)

Simon Newport
Deputy Secretary & CEO, Homes Victoria, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
Paul Baker
Assistant Commissioner, Infrastructure Services, Australian Taxation Office

  • Finding the right problems to solve: Where are the biggest opportunities to streamline processes, reduce manual effort and remove duplication through automation and AI?
  • Moving from task automation toward intelligent decision support
  • Improving productivity while maintaining service quality, human oversight and public trust
  • Scaling automation programs through governance and shared platforms
  • Measuring operational improvements through outcomes, not technology adoption alone
12:10PM

Choose one · 12:10 PM - 12:30 PM (20 mins) · 3 options Industry Insights

12:10PM

Partner Perspective

12:10 PM - 12:30 PM (20 mins)

12:10PM

Partner Perspective

12:10 PM - 12:30 PM (20 mins)

12:10PM

Partner Perspective

12:10 PM - 12:30 PM (20 mins)

12:30PM

Choose one · 12:30 PM - 1:05 PM (35 mins) · 3 options Panel Discussion

12:30PM

Digital Transformation Under the Microscope: What Works, What Fails, and What Comes Next

12:30 PM - 1:05 PM (35 mins)

Kate Barnes
Executive Director, Customer, Programs and Digital, Solar Victoria, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Stacey O'Toole
Chief Information Officer, Victorian Ombudsman
Jess Nichol
Director, Customer Experience, Department of Transport and Planning

  • The truth about digital transformation: what delivers impact and what holds agencies back
  • Sharing practical insights from major government transformation programs
  • Understanding common barriers to successful digital delivery
  • Improving governance, funding, and delivery approaches
  • Avoiding technology-first transformation mistakes
  • Strengthening executive sponsorship and organisational alignment
  • Creating repeatable approaches for future transformation initiatives
12:30PM

Accelerating the Next Phase of AI-Powered Government: Moving from Experimentation to Enterprise Adoption

12:30 PM - 1:05 PM (35 mins)

Sean Morrison
Information Commissioner, Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner
Sam Khoury
Chief Information Officer, Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority
Jayne Howley
AI Strategy and Assurance Lead, Department of Government Services

  • Translating AI pilots into measurable improvements in public services and government operations
  • Establishing responsible AI governance, assurance frameworks, and ethical guardrails
  • Identifying high-value AI opportunities across service delivery, policy, and corporate functions
  • Building workforce confidence and capability to work effectively with AI tools
  • Managing risks including privacy, security, bias, transparency, and public trust
  • Creating an enterprise approach to AI platforms, data readiness, and investment
12:30PM

The Human Advantage: What Matters Most in an AI-Driven Victorian Public Service

12:30 PM - 1:05 PM (35 mins)

Erin Liston-Abel
Executive Director, Governance, Planning & Intelligence, Triple Zero Victoria
Executive Director Corporate Services, Office of Public Prosecutions Victoria
Samuel Ho
Executive Director, TAFE Performance, Finance and Infrastructure, Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions

  • Redesigning work, not just automating tasks: How should roles, teams and operating models evolve as AI becomes a trusted co-worker?
  • The uniquely human contribution: Which capabilities - judgement, empathy, ethics, creativity and complex decision-making - will become more valuable in an AI-enabled public service?
  • Building an AI-fluent workforce: How do we equip every public servant to work confidently and effectively alongside AI, regardless of their role?
  • Leading human and digital teams: What new leadership capabilities are required to manage work delivered by both people and AI?
1:05PM

Choose one · 1:05 PM - 1:25 PM (20 mins) · 3 options Industry Insights

1:05PM

Partner Perspective

1:05 PM - 1:25 PM (20 mins)

1:05PM

Partner Perspective

1:05 PM - 1:25 PM (20 mins)

1:05PM

Partner Perspective

1:05 PM - 1:25 PM (20 mins)

1:25PM

Lunch: Wander, Discover, Connect

1:25 PM - 2:35 PM (70 mins)

Grab lunch, have a wander, and chat with industry partners and peers about practical ideas you can take back to work. Arguably the most important part of the day!

2:35PM

Delivery Labs

Choose one · 2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins) · 2 options Interactive

2:35PM

Delivery Lab 1: Bridging the Gap - Assessing Emerging Business Demands and Requirements for IT to Support CX, Digital, Data and AI

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

Gavin Gusling
Former Chief Information Officer, Ambulance Victoria
Brad Kemp
Chief Information Officer, State Revenue Office

As AI, digital, data and CX continue to reshape business expectations, IT must anticipate what the organisation will need next and build the foundations to deliver it. This session explores how technology executives can align IT strategy with business goals, strengthen engagement with stakeholders and develop compelling investment cases, while navigating legacy infrastructure and rising demands for better CX.

  • Getting IT ready for future business demands: What is the future we see from a technology point of view and what will IT platforms need to look like? How does the IT executive get ready for it?
  • Understanding the business goals and backtracking the IT strategy and requirements to be future ready
  • How will IT need to change how it engages with business - Navigating the ‘language’ barrier
  • How to generate and position successful business cases to secure investment for IT requirements
2:35PM

Delivery Lab 2: The Emerging Role of AI Agents in Government: Where Could AI Agents Create the Greatest Value, and What Foundations are Needed for Their Safe Adoption?

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

Karin Verspoor
Dean, School of Computing Technologies, RMIT University
2:35PM

Interactive Roundtable Discussions

Choose one · 2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins) · 10 options Roundtables

2:35PM

Table 1: Building the Data Foundations for an AI-Ready Victoria

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

Matthew Barber
Executive Director, Spatial Services & Planning Solutions, Department of Transport and Planning

What improvements in data quality, accessibility, interoperability and governance are most important?

2:35PM

Table 2: The Next Generation of Proactive Government Services

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

Ben Jiang
Director, Data, AI, Systems Assurance and Digital Audit, Auditor-General’s Office

How can data and AI enable government to anticipate needs and make services easier to access?

2:35PM

Table 3: Creating Consistent Digital Experiences Across Government

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

What should a consistent Victorian Government digital experience look and feel like?

2:35PM

Table 4: Modernising Legacy Technology for the Next Decade

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

Rod Apostol
Director, Information and Digital Services, Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission
Paul Baker
Assistant Commissioner, Infrastructure Services, Australian Taxation Office

How should government prioritise legacy modernisation while continuing to deliver critical services?

2:35PM

Table 5: Building a More Resilient Digital Government

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

What capabilities, priorities and principles should guide the next phase of Victoria's digital transformation?

2:35PM

Table 6: From Tech Pilots to Sustainable Government Capability

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

Executive Director Corporate Services, Office of Public Prosecutions Victoria

How can Victorian Government move beyond individual AI pilots and technology projects to build secure, scalable and sustainable AI capabilities that deliver lasting value across departments and services?

2:35PM

Table 7: Digital by Default, Human When It Matters - Finding the Right Balance in Service Delivery

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

Samuel Ho
Executive Director, TAFE Performance, Finance and Infrastructure, Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions

Where can automation improve experiences, and where will human judgement remain essential? And how can government balance efficient digital services with accessible human support for people who need it?

2:35PM

Table 8: The Future of Trust in Government CX

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

Jess Nichol
Director, Customer Experience, Department of Transport and Planning

What will it take to maintain confidence as government uses more AI, automation, personalisation and data-driven services?

2:35PM

Table 9: From Digital Services to Seamless Services - Making Government Easier to Navigate

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

Lauren McKirdy
General Manager, Claims Transformation, Transport Accident Commission

How can government reduce hand-offs, duplication and friction across channels and departments? And how can we reduce the complexity customers experience when trying to find information, understand eligibility or access services?

2:35PM

Table 10: Digitising Repeatable Transactional Services and Leveraging AI to Gain Efficiency and Productivity

2:35 PM - 3:20 PM (45 mins)

Kate Barnes
Executive Director, Customer, Programs and Digital, Solar Victoria, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

How can government leverage AI to streamline back office processes and enable more focus on the frontline? And where is digitisation being used to better meet service demand, save money, improve productivity and service quality?

3:30PM
Panel Discussion

Future-Ready Government: Building the Skills, Culture and Capability to Lead Change

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM (30 mins)

Dr Caroline Smith
Executive Director/Member, Centre for Education and Training/Victorian Skills Authority & Future Skills Authority
Deputy Secretary, Bushfire and Forest Services, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
Andrew Greaves
Auditor-General, Victorian Auditor-General's Office
Kirsten Bright
Director, Strategy and National Reform, Skills and TAFE Group, Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions

As technology, community expectations and the nature of public services continue to evolve, Victorian Government agencies must ensure their people have the skills, culture and confidence to navigate ongoing change. This panel brings together leaders to explore how government can build workforce capability, strengthen organisational culture and support people through transformation - while balancing immediate service demands with the skills needed for the future.

  • Building future-ready capability: What skills will Victorian Government need over the next five years, and how can agencies identify and close emerging capability gaps?
  • Creating a culture that embraces change: How can leaders foster a culture of learning, innovation and continuous improvement in the AI era while maintaining trust, accountability and a strong public-service ethos?
  • Leading people through change: What does effective change management look like, and how can leaders bring employees along when transformation is complex, uncertain or disruptive?
  • Developing and retaining talent: How can agencies attract, develop and retain critical skills while creating meaningful career pathways and opportunities for existing employees to grow?
  • Balancing today with tomorrow: With competing priorities and limited resources, how should government decide where to invest in workforce capability, technology, leadership and skills to build a resilient workforce for the future?
4:00PM

Closing Remarks: What We’re Taking with Us

4:00 PM - 4:10 PM (10 mins)

We’ll pull out a few highlights from the day, share what’s coming next, and point you to ways to stay connected.

4:10PM
Interactive

Networking Reception: Stay for a Chat

4:10 PM - 5:10 PM (60 mins)

Mayfair Ballroom

Wrap up the day with good conversation and a few new connections. Thanks for making GIW your one-stop shop for benchmarking, industry updates, and great conversations.

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