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Group Discussion & Debate
Topic:
“Future-Ready Councils: Reimagining Local Government in 2035”
The idea is to challenge attendees to think beyond incremental improvements and envision bold, transformative changes in governance, technology, and community engagement.
Session Structure
1. Icebreaker: “One Bold Prediction” (10 mins)
- Each participant shares one radical change they believe will define local government in 10 years (e.g., AI-driven decision-making, fully cashless councils, digital twins for cities).
- Capture these on a shared board (Microsoft Whiteboard).
2. Group Exercise: “Backcasting the Future” (30 mins)
- Prompt: “It’s 2035, and your council is recognised as the most innovative in Australia. What does it look like? How did you get there?”
- Break into small groups and:
1. Describe the future state (services, workforce, tech, community engagement).
2. Identify 3 key milestones that made it possible.
- Share highlights with the room.
3. Debate: “Humans vs. Algorithms” (20 mins)
- Statement: “By 2035, most council decisions will be made by AI, not humans.”
- Split into two teams: For and Against.
- Encourage evidence-based arguments (ethics, efficiency, trust, accountability).
4. Rapid-Fire Round: “What If…?” (15 mins)
- Pose provocative scenarios and ask for quick responses:
o What if rates were replaced by a subscription model?
o What if councils had no physical offices?
o What if residents voted on every major decision via an app?
o What if digital identity replaced all paper-based processes?
Discussion Questions
- What emerging technologies will have the biggest impact on local government?
- How will the role of councils change if communities become fully “smart”?
- What risks do we need to manage as we digitize more services?
- How do we ensure inclusivity in a highly digital future?
- What skills will council staff need in 2035?
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