AI is already on the local government agenda in Western Australia. The question for many councils is no longer whether it matters, but where to begin and how to move forward in a way that is practical, safe and genuinely useful. That is why the work underway across the sector is so significant. WALGA’s WA Local Government AI Readiness Assessment invited all 139 local governments to participate, with 108 councils taking part. As the peak body for WA local government, WALGA represents all 139 local governments in the state, which gives the assessment real sector-wide weight.
What that tells us is simple: councils are not sitting back and waiting. They are actively trying to understand how AI can be adopted in a way that improves operations and service delivery without creating unnecessary risk or confusion.
Explore the event: Event Overview | Agenda | Register
From interest to action
There is a big difference between talking about AI and actually working out how to apply it inside a council environment. Local government teams are dealing with the everyday realities of service delivery, resource constraints, workforce capability, community expectations and compliance. That means AI adoption cannot just be about experimentation for its own sake. It has to connect to real outcomes.
That is what makes the upcoming panel “AI and Digital Transformation: Opportunities and Challenges” so timely. It will dig into how AI and digital tools can support operational efficiency, creativity and service delivery in councils, while also tackling the harder questions around workforce culture, upskilling, cyber security, compliance and change management.
In other words, this is not just a conversation about technology. It is a conversation about how councils build the confidence, capability and governance to use technology well.
Why readiness matters
The strength of the WALGA assessment is that it points to readiness as a practical issue, not an abstract one. Councils are clearly interested in AI, but readiness is what determines whether that interest turns into something useful. That includes understanding current capability, identifying barriers, clarifying governance, and knowing where the most realistic opportunities sit.
That matters because AI adoption in local government does not happen in a vacuum. It affects how staff work, how services are delivered, how decisions are supported, and how risk is managed. Without a solid understanding of readiness, it becomes much harder to separate useful use cases from hype, or to adopt tools in a way that builds trust internally and externally.
What the panel will explore
At Local Government Focus Day Western Australia 2026, the panel brings together:
- Miriam Sanchez Blanco, Chief Technology Officer, City of Stirling
- Carissa Bywater, Director Corporate and System Services, City of Cockburn
- Anthony Vuleta, Chief Executive Officer, City of Kalamunda
Together, they’ll explore where AI and digital tools can genuinely help councils work better, deliver better services and improve efficiency, while also being realistic about the people and governance side of the equation. That includes workforce culture, engagement, upskilling, cyber security, compliance and change.
That balance matters. Digital transformation is never only about systems. It is also about people, process, confidence and leadership.
A practical conversation for WA councils
For many councils, the most useful starting point is not a grand transformation roadmap. It is understanding where AI can add value now, what needs to be in place before adoption expands, and how to make progress without creating new complexity. That is why this panel is likely to resonate. It speaks directly to the stage many councils are in now: curious, engaged, but looking for practical next steps.
More broadly, the day is built around the challenges local government leaders are already facing — improving productivity, lifting capability, making better use of technology and finding practical ways to deliver stronger outcomes for communities. That makes this AI conversation especially relevant. It is not separate from the rest of the agenda. It sits right in the middle of the bigger questions councils are already working through.
Join Local Government Focus Day Western Australia 2026 to hear how councils are approaching AI and digital transformation in practice, and what it takes to turn interest into safe, useful progress. The event takes place on Thursday, 27 August 2026 in Perth, with free registration for public sector attendees.
Explore the event: Event Overview | Agenda | Register
Help your peers
Share what you've learned with fellow public servants