Public Sector Podcast

AI delivers the most value when it sharpens human judgment - not when it tries to replace it. This week, Kenneth Kicia, Chief Information Officer, Florida Department of Corrections looks at how leaders can position AI as a practical decision-support layer, helping teams move faster and smarter without handing over responsibility. Kenneth breaks down which decisions benefit most from AI-assisted in...

Montgomery County is treating AI as a practical capacity multiplier for local government—helping teams respond faster, reduce admin burden, and improve outcomes in high-volume services like elections, 911, courts, and human services.  Join Neil Makhija, Commissioner, Montgomery County as he explores how counties can move beyond interest and pilots into resident-centred implementation that delivers...

In this episode, Emma Bickerstaffe, Director Cyber Defence Operations, New Zealand's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) shares what it takes to build a cyber resilient nation in a more volatile geopolitical environment, where success depends less on "being prepared" and more on staying agile, adaptive, and coordinated across government and the wider economy. Emma breaks down the threat landscap...

  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 B...

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...

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...

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...

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 governmen...

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 accessibi...

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 "mo...

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...

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 fun...

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-quant...

In this week's episode, Steve Lewis (EY Global Infrastructure Technology Leader and Head of Infrastructure Advisory, Hong Kong) unpacks why decades of digital investment still haven't closed the productivity gap in infrastructure delivery—and why agentic AI could change the equation by surfacing better insight earlier, improving decision-making, and helping teams manage risk and complexity with mo...

This week, Sandeep Taileng, Co Chair - National Committee For Information Access & Protection Requirements and Information Security Leader, State Trustees (Victoria) explores why quantum readiness is no longer a future problem, but a responsibility we need to act on today. Sandeep discusses the growing risk of "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks, and why organisations must start making technology...

Mobility is becoming a digital service challenge, not just a transport one. As expectations rise, agencies need connected, secure, user-friendly experiences that make it easier for people and industry to interact with government. In this week's episode, Erika-Kirsten Easton, Chief Data Officer and Director General, Enterprise Service, Data and Architecture, Transport Canada shares how they are mod...

How do you move fast in the public sector without compromising security or compliance? In this episode, Ian Pham, Chief Information Security Officer, Victorian Managed Insurance Authority explores how organisations can embed cyber risk thinking into digital services and emerging tech from day one — enabling innovation that's both bold and secure. Ian also discuss why the real transformation happen...

This week, Sam Jones, Executive Director Corporate Services, Office of Public Prosecutions Victoria explores the rise of the "cybernetic colleague": using AI to expand organisational capacity and take repetitive work off people's plates, so teams can focus on more strategic, human, and high-value tasks. It looks at what this shift means in practice, and how leaders can set teams up to adopt AI con...

In this episode, Corina Hernandez-Muñoz, Head, Cyber Behaviour and Culture | Enterprise Information Security (EIS), Export Development Canada explores why effective cybersecurity depends just as much on people as it does on technology. As digital threats become more complex, organisations are recognising that strong systems alone aren't enough — building awareness, shared responsibility and a cult...

In this episode, Aimé Nsengiyumva, Deputy-Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Finance and Administration, State of Tennessee shares how the state is strengthening its cybersecurity posture as threats become more complex. The keynote reflects on recent progress and explains how Tennessee is aligning with growing federal momentum to better protect both state and local government system...

  This week's episode brought to you by Objective , features Cassandra Bisset, VP Strategy, Objective who looks back at the Innovation Showcase in Victoria, Australia. Cassie explains how quickly AI has shifted from "emerging" to urgent, with public sector teams under pressure to adopt while managing trust, risk, and tight budgets. The key message is "readiness over hype". With many AI projects fa...

This week, Dan Roelink, Director, Office for AI, Digital. NSW, NSW Department of Customer Service explores why the biggest barrier to AI in government is no longer understanding the technology, but removing the organisational and system "friction" that prevents safe, lawful, and scalable adoption. From an inside-government perspective, Dan looks at what it takes to move beyond pilots and experimen...

This week Dr Robbie Melton, Vice President SMART AI Technology Innovations, Tennessee State University explores how AI is changing both education and government, and what it takes for institutions to move beyond experimentation into responsible, practical adoption. The conversation focuses on embedding intelligent tools across curriculum, student services, and institutional strategy in ways that i...

Listen in this we as we sit down with Tricia Pridemore, Commissioner, Georgia Public Service Commission, who explores how public sector organisations can move beyond experimentation and turn innovation into measurable, lasting impact. Rather than focusing on pilots alone, the Tricia highlights what it takes to scale initiatives across agencies and embed people-centred outcomes into everyday operat...

Join Thea Mann, Chief Information Security Officer, Office of Data and Innovation, as she examines California's position at the forefront of global innovation — and at the centre of an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape. As artificial intelligence becomes a tool for both defence and attack, the conversation explores how speed, adaptability and strategic foresight will determine who stays...