Civic Punks

Pia Andrews is one of my all-time favourite Civic Punks, so I jumped at the chance to sit down with her and hear what 3 articles have most shaped her thinking: Death Sentence by Don Watson: https://www.penguin.com.au/books/death-sentence-9780143790983 Tim O'Reilly - Government as a Platform: https://shorturl.at/A8zxG  

Gian Durán shares a key insight from his PhD research in this week's Now You Know. He argues that we are not using the term innovation properly. When we say innovation, we mean one of three things: Rennovation, Innovation or Transformation.   You can read his full article here: https://futuregovforum.substack.com/p/change-is-plural-and-that-should

In another episode of Rent Free—the series where I ask people which ideas live rent free in their heads—I sit down with Charles Mcivor to talk about the article that has most shaped his thinking: “The Housing Theory of Everything.” Written by John Myers, Sam Bowman, and Ben Southwood, the piece explores how housing affordability quietly shapes everything from economic growth to inequality to polit...

Government today is full of tensions. Move fast… but protect democratic accountability. Experiment with new ideas… but keep critical systems stable. Use powerful new technologies… that we don’t fully understand yet. In a fascinating paper called “Signals from Apolitical Day,” the States of Change network looked for patterns emerging from conversations with public servants around the world. What th...

AI is dramatically challenging governments all over the world. Singapore is on the leading edge of this. How are they thinking about AI in Government? What can we learn from them? I reference this fantastic podcast by Ezra Klein on AI, definitely check it out as well: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6obzprTBpR6MosWu5vsua5?si=44ede13d15054d71

I am finally starting to wrap my head around my time in Singapore. It was a week jam-packed full of conversations with people at the centre of reimaging government, and also those who are rebelling against government and building something different on the fringes. There will be more to come, but here are my earliest thoughts.

Have we broken innovation? This is a question that Ian Montgomery explores in his killer article "The New Rules of Innovation." In it Ian explores how we have let innovation become swallowed up by the system and in the process, have it lose its transformational potential. Join me as I go down the rabbit hole with this banger of a Montgomery article. Here is the link if you want to read it yourself...

Hiring is one of the things government seems to suck at. It takes way too long, the salaries are often not competitive, and job descriptions are confusing and not helpful. Yet, if we can't hire well, we are unable to bring in the talent we need to deliver on our ambition, or really anything. In this video, I explore a book chapter by Robert Gordon, Executive Vice President for State Initiatives, e...

Another Public Sector Network - Government Innovation Week is in the books. What did we learn? How is digital sovereignty shaping the conversation? We are going through some of the deepest cuts to public sector jobs in well over a decade. AI was all over the agenda but how did the conversations play out?  In this episode I explore these questions through interviews with people on the ground in day...

I recently came across Rebecca Mbaya’s African Innovators series, which spotlights changemakers reshaping Africa’s tech, data, and AI landscape. It’s thoughtful, grounded, and well worth your time. In this video, I zoom in on her profile of Pombili Paula Haitamba, a data analyst from Namibia. It’s genuinely one of the best pieces I’ve read on what data analysis actually means in practice, not just...

Hi everyone, what an amazing evening to launch the dream that is Civic Punks. My friend Mike was kind enough to record the speech I gave, and I wanted to share it here. Thank you everyone who came to support this project!

What idea has shaped your work for decades? For Ryan Androsoff, it’s Wiki Government by Beth Noveck. In this conversation, Ryan shares how that book continues to influence his thinking on digital government, collaboration, and reform in Canada. Some ideas don’t just inspire you. They rewire you.

What if government were your new best friend? A companion who walked with you and made your life easier and better. Anticipating your needs and pointing you towards supports and opportunities, not to sell you things but to help you with your own goals. Helping launch my new series - Now You Know, an exploration into the debates and ideas shaping the future of government - is the reflection from on...

Public Sector Network’s Digital Leadership Day for the Government of Canada is officially in the books. So what happens when you put 100+ senior public servants and partners in a room and ask one deceptively simple question: What does digital leadership actually look like in Canada right now? You get sharp debates. Honest reflections. A few uncomfortable truths. And, thankfully, a lot of practical...

This is the question Becky Miller asks in her blog series that made waves in the UK this fall. This is my short reflection on this series and why I think everyone should read it. Don't take my word for it. Check out the series here: https://medium.com/ghs-government-human-service/introducing-ghs-780df7abd537

2024 was a global reckoning. Across countries and political divides, voters sent the same message: government isn’t working — and it needs to change. But change to what? In this launch episode of Civic Punks, Derek Alton explores one of the most important questions of our time: what does better government actually look like — and who is building it? For 17 years, Derek has worked inside and alongs...

There is so much exciting stuff happening in New Brunswick when it comes to public sector innovation! In November I had the chance to attend the Canadian Open Data and GovMaker Summit in Fredericton and interview many of the attendees. This episode includes a collection of those interviews from the summit floor. It starts though with the pregame show I recorded with fellow Nerdy Gov Podcaster and...

Before the lights go up at Government Innovation Week, let’s talk about what actually matters. In this pre-game show, I’m joined by Joy Chatwell from the Public Sector Network to pull back the curtain on how Government Innovation Week (Federal, Ottawa 2026) was designed, what themes are shaping the agenda, and why this moment feels significant for the Canadian public sector. If you’re attending, t...

What happens when you take away the agenda, the speakers, and the carefully curated programme—and just let public servants talk? In this episode, I dive into UKGovCamp, one of the most unusual—and surprisingly effective—events in the world of public service. It’s an unconference: no preset sessions, no keynotes, and no guarantees, other than the fact that you’ll end up in thoughtful, sometimes mes...

Government spends more money than any other business or sector. It is one of the most powerful levers we have to tackle the great challenges of our time, to shape markets and improve communities. Yet it is broken. But it doesn't have to be. Join Lina Svensburg, Marcela Jabor and myself as we dig into the exciting world of procurement and the innovations that are transforming how government spends...

In this episode, I sit down with Tamara Zakharia to explore insights from her recent report from the UN on the enabling conditions for public sector innovation in emerging economies. We dive into her practical and thoughtful framework—covering everything from strategic direction and governance models to the internal and external enablers that help innovation take root and thrive. Whether you're wo...

For my final dispatch from Samarkand, I reunite with Caroline Star from the School of International Futures — this time in the breathtaking Registan Square. We reflect on a week full of inspiration, connection, and big ideas at the UN Public Service Forum. Caroline shares highlights from her foresight workshop, and we both take a moment to appreciate the powerful closing talk by Robyn Bennett that...

In this special dispatch from Samarkand, I’m joined by Almero Oosthuizen from the Western Cape Government (South Africa) and Alejandra Rodas Gaiter from the Innovation Lab for Bogotá (Colombia). Together, we reflect on our experience speaking at the closing plenary panel: Innovation Labs in Action. We dive into some big themes: 🧠 Shifting mindsets inside government 🌱 Moving from ego-centric to e...

As we wrap up an incredible few days in Samarkand, I sit down with the brilliant Robyn Bennett, whose closing repertoire reflection was a highlight for many at the forum. In this conversation, Robyn shares the key themes, big ideas, and quiet moments that stood out — from innovation and inclusion to the unexpected connections that made this gathering so memorable. It’s a thoughtful close to a week...