Victoria’s public sector faces a challenge that cannot be solved by technology alone: how to deliver better services, improve productivity and maintain public trust while working within tighter constraints.
AI, data and automation can help. But their value depends on the decisions surrounding them — how leaders guide change, how agencies redesign work, how councils build capability and how organisations protect the services communities rely on.
These are connected priorities, not separate conversations.
Government Innovation Week Victoria 2027, taking place in Melbourne from 15–18 March, brings them together across four events: Digital Leadership Day, Government Innovation Showcase, Local Government Focus Day and Government Cyber Security Showcase.
Across the week, government and industry leaders will explore what it takes to move from digital ambition to practical delivery, with a focus on more connected services, responsible innovation and sustainable public sector capability.
15 March: Leading the roadmap to better government
Digital transformation starts with choices about the kind of government leaders want to build.
More technology does not automatically mean less complexity. Agencies need a clear connection between investment, organisational priorities and the experience of the people using their services.
Digital Leadership Day Victoria will explore that connection through its theme, “Leading the Roadmap to Government 3.0.”
The focus is on government that is connected, trusted and easier to navigate — and the leadership needed to make that possible. Discussions will examine how digital transformation, automation and responsible AI can streamline processes, reduce duplication and support more people-centred outcomes.
For senior executives, the challenge is balancing long-term reform with improvements that can be delivered now. That requires more than a technology roadmap. It also requires the capabilities, partnerships and operating models to sustain change.
Featured speakers include The Hon. Victor Dominello, Chief Executive Officer, Future Government Institute; Ed Santow, Co-Director of the Human Technology Institute and Professor of Responsible Technology, University of Technology Sydney; and Sharon Hakkennes, Chief Digital Health Officer, Victorian Department of Health.
Explore Digital Leadership Day Victoria. Attendance is invitation-only for senior government executives. Invitation requests can be sent to [email protected], subject to approval.
16 March: Turning reform into measurable delivery
The next step is translating strategic direction into changes in how government works.
Government Innovation Showcase Victoria 2027 will examine how departments and agencies can improve productivity, simplify processes and deliver more responsive services while maintaining quality and trust.
Set against the reform direction outlined in the Silver Review and the Victorian Government’s response, the Showcase will explore AI, data and digital transformation as practical enablers of operational improvement.
Its three streams connect different parts of that challenge:
- Digital Services, CX, and AI Innovation: designing inclusive, accessible and more connected services around people’s needs.
- Technology, Data, and AI Integration: modernising systems and strengthening the platforms, data and governance needed for responsible adoption.
- AI-Enhanced Productivity: redesigning workflows, augmenting decision-making and building workforce capability to deliver meaningful improvements.
The underlying question is not simply where AI can be introduced. It is where it can reduce administrative burden, improve decisions and free people to focus on higher-value work.
Featured speakers include Sean Morrison, Information Commissioner, Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner; Amjad Bashir, Chief Data Officer, Department of Education; and Fiona Sparks, Director, Continuous Improvement Uplift & Technology, Victoria Police.
Explore Government Innovation Showcase Victoria 2027.
17 March: Helping councils do more, differently
For local government, transformation must work within the realities of constrained budgets, stretched workforces and rising community expectations.
Local Government Focus Day Victoria will bring those realities into focus, exploring how councils can become more capable, resilient, connected and future-ready.
The event will examine decisions across financial sustainability, service delivery, AI, digital transformation, cyber security, workforce and community trust.
Rather than treating innovation as another project to add to an already crowded workload, the conversation will look at how councils can change the way they operate. That includes using data and automation responsibly, managing technology investment and exploring shared resources and capability across councils.
Case studies, panels and peer discussions will provide opportunities to compare approaches, including what has worked, what has not and what councils have learned along the way.
Featured speakers include Derek Madden, Chief Executive Officer, Moorabool Shire Council; Mary Agostino, Chief Executive Officer, Mitchell Shire Council; and Anthony Brittain, Chief Information Officer, City of Greater Geelong.
Explore Local Government Focus Day Victoria.
18 March: Moving from cyber compliance to confidence
More connected government also needs stronger digital foundations.
As agencies adopt AI and rely on increasingly interconnected systems and suppliers, cyber resilience becomes part of the broader task of maintaining trusted, reliable public services.
Government Cyber Security Showcase Victoria 2027 will explore this challenge through its theme, “From Compliance to Confidence: Strengthening Victoria’s Cyber Foundations.”
Two tracks will connect strategic responsibility with operational readiness:
- Strategy and Assurance: embedding security, accountability and oversight into organisational decisions and digital transformation.
- Visibility and Resilience: understanding exposure, preparing for disruption and strengthening response, recovery and service continuity.
The event will examine practical approaches to responsible AI adoption, digital assurance, identity protection, supply chain resilience, Essential Eight uplift, zero trust and incident readiness.
For cyber, risk, assurance and digital leaders, the focus is not only meeting requirements. It is building confidence that organisations can continue delivering essential services under pressure.
Featured speakers include Matt Wong, Assistant Secretary, National Office of Cyber Security, Department of Home Affairs; Elizabeth Wilson, Chief Information Officer, Victorian Department of Education; and Dr Greg Adamson, Portfolio Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Transport and Planning Victoria.
Explore Government Cyber Security Showcase Victoria 2027.
Four events, one connected challenge
Across Government Innovation Week Victoria, a common theme emerges: lasting improvement requires leadership, delivery capability and trust to develop together.
Digital leaders need secure foundations. Technology teams need a clear understanding of service and workforce priorities. Councils need approaches that reflect local constraints. And cyber leaders need a place in the transformation conversation from the outset.
The week offers an opportunity to connect those perspectives, learn from peers and consider what practical progress could look like within your own organisation.
Be part of the conversation in Melbourne from 15–18 March 2027. Explore Government Innovation Week Victoria and find the events aligned with your priorities.
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