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

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.

Liverpool is experiencing rapid transformation driven by major infrastructure, population growth, and the development of the Western Sydney Airport and health and education precinct. This keynote will explore how councils can lead confidently through large-scale change while continuing to deliver strong outcomes for their communities.

• How councils can balance rapid growth, infrastructure delivery, and community expectations.
• Strengthening collaboration across government, industry, and community stakeholders to support city development.
• Embedding sustainability and circular economy principles into long-term planning.

• How AI and digital tools can enhance operational efficiency, creativity, and service delivery in councils.
• The impact of technological innovation on workforce culture, engagement, and upskilling.
• Key risks and strategies for managing cybersecurity, compliance, and change during digital transformation.

Dr. Tom Gao

Chief Information Officer, City of Sydney

Darren Morris

Chief Information Officer, Inner West Council

Gaya Gounder

Chief Information Officer, Camden Council NSW

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!

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.

Redesigning roles, addressing skills gaps and leading organisational change as AI and automation reshape council operations.

• How councils can address financial sustainability pressures, infrastructure backlogs and cost shifting, while continuing to deliver essential services and meet Audit Office expectations
• How to lift cyber security from an ICT issue to a whole-of-council governance priority, in line with NSW regulatory requirements and growing public scrutiny
• How to strengthen governance, transparency, and emerging AI oversight to maintain community trust while navigating reform and increasing operational complexity

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