Public Sector Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Building a Future-Ready Workforce and Reskilling for the AI Era: Required Skills for 2026-2030 - Episode 195 Sep 20, 2026

Show notes

A future-ready NSW Government depends on how well public servants and AI work together, not on people or technology alone. This week, Raffaele Marcelino, Executive Director, Learning and Teaching, Tafe NSW, Jane Lin, Executive Director Data, Strategy and Performance, Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, Andrew Spiegelman, Head of Data & Analytics, Service NSW, Dan Bowes, Facilitator, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, TAFE NSW explore how AI is reshaping government roles through 2027 and beyond, boosting productivity by supporting frontline work rather than replacing it. Our guests so look at workforce readiness: how teams are starting to use AI, which skills are emerging or missing, and what practical upskilling is needed to build confidence and adoption—through targeted digital and data capability building.

Raffaele Marcelino, Executive Director, Learning and Teaching, Tafe NSW, Jane Lin, Executive Director Data, Strategy and Performance, Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, Andrew Spiegelman, Head of Data & Analytics, Service NSW, Dan Bowes, Facilitator, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, TAFE NSW

For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

Navigating Responsible AI in Small and Medium Businesses - Lee Hickin - Episode 194 Sep 13, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Lee Hickin, Executive Director, National AI Centre breaks down what responsible AI actually means for small to medium enterprises in Australia—and why vague advice is one of the biggest reasons SMEs hesitate to adopt. Through the work of the National AI Centre, the talk reframes "responsible" as something practical and achievable, not a heavyweight compliance exercise. You'll hear a simple approach to adoption built around the AI Six: clear accountability, basic risk and impact thinking, transparency at the right level, ongoing testing, and maintaining human control. The episode's core message is cultural: confidence comes from leadership setting clear expectations, investing in capability, and treating AI as "you + AI", not "you vs AI."

Lee Hickin, Executive Director, National AI Centre For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

Beyond Technology: Transforming Government Operations - Rip Colvin - Episode 193 Sep 06, 2026

Show notes

Government doesn't transform just by buying new tech — it transforms when it modernises operations. Join Rip Colvin, Executive Director, Florida Justice Administrative Commission as he digs into how leaders upgrade the systems, processes, and capabilities that improve execution, strengthen accountability, and ultimately deliver better public services. Rip explores how "back office" functions like finance, procurement, contracts, and administration become strategic enablers; how to simplify complexity without losing transparency or public trust; and how platforms, automation, and digital workflows can reduce admin load, improve visibility, and free teams to focus on higher-value work — while building organisations that are ready for whatever comes next. Rip Colvin, Executive Director, Florida Justice Administrative Commission. For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

Executing the Finance Reform Program: Successfully Deploying the Whole-of-Government Finance System - Matt Moffat & Sarah Taylor - Episode 191 Aug 23, 2026

Show notes

This week, we are joined by Matt Moffat, Program Director, Department of Treasury and Finance, Sarah Taylor, Chief Financial Officer & Executive Director, Corporate Services, Department for Correctional Services who look at what it takes to deliver a world-class Treasury capability through a generational uplift—enabling faster, more accurate, and reformed financial services that better meet modern expectations. Matt and Sarah also cover the practical realities of modernising finance systems so government can make better-informed decisions and allocate resources more effectively as population and business growth increases. A key example is the first pilot with the Department for Correctional Services, showing how automation and improved insights can lift productivity and deliver more value back to the state.

Matt Moffat, Program Director, Department of Treasury and Finance, Sarah Taylor, Chief Financial Officer & Executive Director, Corporate Services, Department for Correctional Services

For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

Building a Future - Fit Public Sector Workforce - Josie Cluer - Episode 190 Aug 16, 2026

Show notes

This week we sit down with Josie Cluer, Global Government & Infrastructure Workforce and Citizens Leader, EY, Alexander Evans, Associate Dean for Strategic Development, School of Public Policy, London School of Economics, Robyn Scott, CEO & Co-Founder, Apolitical and Kate Delgado-Kizer, EY Global Government & Infrastructure Sector Insights Senior Analyst who focus on the growing pressure governments face to deliver public value in a fast-changing, digital environment - while managing challenges like skills shortages, demographic change, and intensifying competition with the private sector for talent. Our guests explore why these forces are stretching public services and why workforce capability is becoming central to successful transformation. At the centre of the discussion is EY's first annual Future-Fit Workforce Study, drawing on insights from 14,000+ public servants across 25 countries to define what "future fit" really means and how ready governments are today. The episode shares early findings and practical perspectives on what it takes to build a well-led, well-managed, highly skilled public service.

Josie Cluer, Global Government & Infrastructure Workforce and Citizens Leader, EY, Alexander Evans, Associate Dean for Strategic Development, School of Public Policy, London School of Economics, Kate Delgado-Kizer, EY Global Government & Infrastructure Sector Insights Senior Analyst, Robyn Scott, CEO & Co-Founder, Apolitical

For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

Accessibility and Inclusion by Design: Closing the Digital Divide - E189 Aug 09, 2026

Show notes

This week, our episode marks a timely moment—20 years since New Zealand signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)—and Victoria Wray, Manager Agency Standards and Integration, Department of Internal Affairs and Shu Run Yap, Principal Advisor, Operations and Delivery Strategy & Enablement, Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People use it as a lens to discuss accessibility and inclusion by design. The conversation focuses on how New Zealand can close the digital divide by moving beyond accessibility as a late-stage fix and instead embedding lived experience and inclusive thinking into the architecture of digital service delivery. You'll hear the "why" and the "how" of the shift underway: treating accessibility as core public service infrastructure (not a procurement checkbox), designing services around choice and equitable channels, and transitioning from legacy web standards to a broader digital accessibility standard that covers apps, documents, and more. The episode also explores feedback-driven innovation—making it easier for people to report barriers, using accessibility statements and clear contact channels, and ensuring AI-enabled services don't unintentionally amplify bias or exclude disabled communities.

Victoria Wray, Manager Agency Standards and Integration, Department of Internal Affairs and Shu Run Yap Principal Advisor, Operations and Delivery Strategy & Enablement, Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People.

For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

Next Generation Policing in South Australia – How Technology and Data is Enhancing Frontline Response and Building Safer Communities - Vaiju Joshi - Episode 188 Aug 02, 2026

Show notes

Vaiju Joshi, Portfolio Director, Mobility Transformationn, SA Police looks at next-generation policing at SA Police and how technology can better support frontline work — with the bigger goal of safer communities. It highlights the realities officers face across metro and regional areas: long distances, constant context switching, limited connectivity, and heavy admin. It then outlines SAPOL's "mobile office on the go" approach, where the mobile phone becomes the primary device for accessing systems, completing workflows, and staying informed in the field. The episode also shares early results and why co-design "for frontline, by frontline" is key to making the change stick.

Vaiju Joshi, Portfolio Director, Mobility Transformation, SA Police For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

Navigating the Digital Frontier: GNB's Approach to AI and Innovation - Tony Daye - Episode 187 Jul 26, 2026

Show notes

As governments accelerate AI and emerging tech adoption, Tony Daye, Chief Digital Officer, Finance and Treasury Board, Government of New Brunswick explores why trust, transparency, and governance are now just as critical as innovation itself. Featuring insights from the Government of New Brunswick, it highlights how embedding accountability and ethics into day-to-day decision-making helps agencies move faster without losing public confidence.

The conversation focuses on practical ways to scale digital innovation responsibly from day one—putting clear governance around AI use, building ethical safeguards into delivery, and strengthening cross-agency coordination so innovation and oversight stay aligned. The takeaway: you can scale transformative technologies with control and confidence, while keeping citizen trust at the centre.

Tony Daye, Chief Digital Officer, Finance and Treasury Board, Government of New Brunswick

For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

Q&A with Arizona Secretary of State's CISO Michael Moore - Episode 186 Jul 19, 2026

Show notes

Join Michael Moore, CISO for the Arizona Secretary of State's Office, as he discusses how cybersecurity in government is becoming a leadership and public trust issue—especially in elections, where cyber risk overlaps with physical threats, misinformation, operational logistics, and legal pressures. Referencing a cyber incident he attributes to Iran, he outlines what agencies need now: stronger fundamentals, data classification, AI training, and secure-by-design practices. He also stresses shared responsibility across security, IT, business leaders, and vendors—and the need to keep a human in the loop as AI use expands.

Michael Moore, Chief Information Security Officer, Arizona Secretary of State's Office

For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

Quantum Encryption & Government Readiness: Preparing for a Post-Quantum Future - Michael Watson & Glenn Schmitz - Episode 185 Jul 12, 2026

Show notes

As quantum technologies evolve, the encryption protecting government systems, critical infrastructure, and citizen data is facing emerging risk. This episode brings together Michael Watson, Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth, Virginia Information Technologies Agency and Glenn Schmitz, Chief Information Security Officer, Virginia State Corporation Commission to unpack what the post-quantum era means for the public sector—and why preparation can't wait. Michael and Glenn focus on practical next steps: understanding new cryptographic standards, assessing risk and prioritising which systems to transition first, planning migration across large hybrid environments, and strengthening public-private collaboration to accelerate quantum-safe readiness.

Michael Watson, Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth, Virginia Information Technologies Agency and Glenn Schmitz, Chief Information Security Officer, Virginia State Corporation Commission.

For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

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