Local Government Focus Day Victoria 2027
Sessions
Registration, Coffee & Hellos
9:00 AM - 9:55 AM (55 mins)
Settle in, grab a coffee, and meet a few friendly faces before we begin.
Opening from Public Sector Network & Acknowledgement of Country
9:55 AM - 10:05 AM (10 mins)
We’ll run a couple of quick polls to see what everyone’s interested in and what people are working on right now.
Welcome Remarks & How to Make the Most of Today
10:05 AM - 10:15 AM (10 mins)
A short welcome, plus a few quick tips to help you connect, share, and get real value from the day. We’ll also run a couple of quick polls to see what everyone’s interested in and what people are working on right now.
The 2027 Reality: Navigating Financial Pressure, Reform and Rising Community Expectations
10:15 AM - 10:35 AM (20 mins)
Sets the scene for 2027 by examining the pressures facing Victorian councils, including rate capping, cost shifting, housing and planning reform, increasing service demand and changing community expectations.
Closing the Gap Between Community Demand and Council Capacity
10:35 AM - 10:55 AM (20 mins)
Building Cyber Resilience: What Councils Should Prioritise in 2027
10:55 AM - 11:25 AM (30 mins)
Where are councils most exposed, and what should they address first? This practical discussion will cover identity and access, patching, backups, phishing, legacy systems and staff awareness, focusing on the controls that provide the greatest value when resources are limited.
Morning Tea & Networking
11:25 AM - 11:55 AM (30 mins)
Better Data, Fewer Blind Spots and a Clearer View of Council Services
11:55 AM - 12:15 PM (20 mins)
When Responsible AI Becomes Part of Everyday Council Work and What It Takes to Get It Right
12:15 PM - 12:45 PM (30 mins)
Explores how councils are moving from AI policy and early experimentation into practical, responsible use. The discussion will cover governance, culture, change management, cost and how councils are deciding which use cases to scale, with honest lessons from different stages of adoption.
Leading Through Constant Change: What Does Leadership Need to Look Like Now?
12:45 PM - 1:05 PM (20 mins)
How can council leaders maintain trust, engagement and momentum while managing financial pressure, reform, workforce change and new technology? The conversation will discuss decision-making, change leadership and how to bring people with them.
Interactive Roundtable Discussions
1:05 PM - 1:50 PM (45 mins)
Our interactive roundtables give you space to swap notes with peers. Hosted by industry leaders, they blend lived experience with practical insights. Bring your biggest challenges, wins, and lessons, and leave with ideas you can apply straight away.
Choose one · 1:05 PM - 1:50 PM (45 mins) · 5 options
Roundtable 1: Choosing the Right Tech Investment: ERP, Core Systems and Vendor Value
1:05 PM - 1:50 PM (45 mins)
Councils need to modernise ageing systems without committing to costly technology that cannot meet future needs. This roundtable will examine ERP and core-platform decisions, integration, vendor value, implementation capacity and how councils can assess the long-term return on technology investment.
Roundtable 2: The 24/7 Council: What Should Residents Be Able to Do Without Calling?
1:05 PM - 1:50 PM (45 mins)
Community expectations are rising while council resources remain constrained. This roundtable will explore where digital self-service, automation and smarter service channels can make council services faster and easier and where residents still need access to a real person.
Roundtable 3: Who Owns Digital Risk? Privacy, Third-Party Risk and Accountability
1:05 PM - 1:50 PM (45 mins)
As councils rely more heavily on technology providers and connected services, ownership of digital risk can become unclear. This roundtable will examine privacy, third-party risk, compliance and accountability across council and supplier environments.
Roundtable 4: Making Shared Services Work through Platforms, Capability and Collaboration
1:05 PM - 1:50 PM (45 mins)
Where can councils work together to reduce duplication, share specialist capability and create economies of scale? The discussion will focus on the work required to make shared services successful, not just the potential savings.
Roundtable 5: Trust in the Feed: How Can Councils Respond to Misinformation Before It Spreads?
1:05 PM - 1:50 PM (45 mins)
Misinformation, social media pressure and growing incivility can quickly damage community trust. This roundtable will explore how councils can use digital engagement, community insight and clearer online communication to identify emerging concerns, respond earlier and keep residents accurately informed.
Lunch: Wander, Discover, Connect
1:50 PM - 2:50 PM (60 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!
What Does Council AI Actually Cost and When Is It Worth the Investment?
2:50 PM - 3:10 PM (20 mins)
Doing More with Less: Redesigning Council Workflows for Productivity
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM (20 mins)
Explore how Moorabool Shire Council has kept employee numbers relatively stable while service demand continues to grow alongside population. Derek Madden, CEO, will share how the council is using a mix of AI, data and other tools to improve productivity, alongside a strong focus on flexibility and investing in its people.
The Workforce Behind the Future Council and the Skills, Succession and Change Ahead
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM (30 mins)
Hear how councils are planning for future skills, succession, staff retention and workforce reform while helping teams adapt to financial pressure, technology change and growing service expectations.
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.
Ready to register?
Registration is free for government