Local Government Focus Day Victoria
Sessions
Registration, Coffee & Hellos
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM (30 mins)
Settle in, grab a coffee, and meet a few friendly faces before we begin.
Opening from Public Sector Network & Acknowledgement of Country
9:00 AM - 9:10 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
9:10 AM - 9:20 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
9:20 AM - 9:40 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
9:40 AM - 10:00 AM (20 mins)
Leading Whole-of-Council Transformation Under Pressure
10:00 AM - 10:20 AM (20 mins)
Building Cyber Resilience: What Councils Should Prioritise in 2027
10:20 AM - 10:50 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
10:50 AM - 11:20 AM (30 mins)
Leading Through Constant Change: What Does Leadership Need to Look Like Now?
11:20 AM - 11:40 AM (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.
Better Data, Fewer Blind Spots and a Clearer View of Council Services
11:40 AM - 12:00 PM (20 mins)
When Responsible AI Becomes Part of Everyday Council Work and What It Takes to Get It Right
12:00 PM - 12:30 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.
Interactive Roundtable Discussions
12:30 PM - 1:15 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 · 12:30 PM - 1:15 PM (45 mins) · 5 options
Roundtable 1: Preparing for Growth: How Councils Can Scale Services Without Scaling Costs
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM (45 mins)
Population growth and infrastructure investment are placing pressure on council operations. This roundtable examines strategies for building scalable service models, modernising processes and planning for future demand without proportionally increasing expenditure.
Roundtable 2: From Transactions to Experiences: Designing Community-Centred Council Services
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM (45 mins)
Community expectations are increasingly shaped by seamless digital experiences in other sectors. Explore how councils are redesigning services around community needs, improving accessibility and creating more connected end-to-end customer journeys.
Roundtable 3: Turning Data into Decisions: Building a Smarter Council
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM (45 mins)
Councils collect vast amounts of information but often struggle to translate it into actionable insights. Explore how data governance, analytics and emerging technologies can support better planning, resource allocation and service delivery decisions.
Roundtable 4: Local Government Service Delivery in the Agentic Era
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM (45 mins)
As demand on councils grows, many leaders face a common dilemma: how to embrace autonomous AI to manage routine enquiries without risking core back-office systems or overstretching staff capacity. The key is not another point solution. It is unifying the front-office engagement layer with existing back-office systems so AI agents have structured, trusted data to act on. Explore how councils can build an AI-ready foundation that lowers the cost to serve, protects staff capacity and delivers modern 24/7 services without scaling headcount.
Roundtable 5: Trust by Design: Governing AI, Data and Cyber Risk
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM (45 mins)
Councils are moving from AI exploration into practical implementation, but concerns around governance, privacy, cybersecurity and accountability remain. Explore how councils can establish proportionate safeguards, manage third-party risk and build community trust without slowing innovation.
Lunch: Wander, Discover, Connect
1:15 PM - 2:15 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!
Doing More with Less: Redesigning Council Workflows for Productivity
2:15 PM - 2:35 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.
What Does Council AI Actually Cost and When Is It Worth the Investment?
2:35 PM - 2:55 PM (20 mins)
The Workforce Behind the Future Council and the Skills, Succession and Change Ahead
2:55 PM - 3:25 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
3:25 PM - 3:35 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.
End of Local Government Victoria Focus Day
3:35 PM - 3:45 PM (10 mins)
Ready to register?
Registration is free for government