(copy) Innovation & Digital Transformation Special Interest Group

  • 06 Nov 2025
  • 9:45 AM - 4:15 PM
  • Paranaple Centre, Devonport- Aberdeen Room

Registration

Register




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Date:          Thursday 6 November 2025

Time:          9:45am – 4:00pm

Venue:      Paranaple Centre- Devonport- Aberdeen Meeting Room 

                    Face to Face SIG

09:45

Registrations and morning tea/coffee on arrival

09:55

Welcome and introductions – Jeff Griffith Devonport City Council

10:00

1045

Cameron Smith | Smart City Project Officer | City of Launceston


Topic: Minecrafting the Future: Engaging Young Voices Through Virtual Cityscapes

Discover how the City of Launceston is reimagining community engagement by transforming its 3D city model into immersive Minecraft worlds. This innovative approach invites young people—often underrepresented in traditional consultation processes—to explore, interact, and contribute ideas in a familiar digital environment. Originally showcased at the national iAwards, this session highlights how gamification and spatial technology can unlock fresh perspectives and foster inclusive civic participation.

10:50

11:35

Sallie Moore-Wood | Director Governance and Information Systems | Waratah Wynyard Council

Topic: Governance First: Building Trust in AI
This theme highlights that while AI offers exciting opportunities for efficiency and innovation in local government, it must be implemented within a strong governance framework. By putting governance first — through clear policies, ethical standards, risk management, and transparency — councils can build community trust and confidence. Trust is the cornerstone of AI adoption, ensuring that technology supports decision-making, improves services, and respects privacy and fairness.

  • In practice, this means:

    Embedding AI within existing governance structures (policy, risk, compliance).

    Being transparent and accountable in how AI is used.

    Safeguarding data security and community rights.

    Leading with integrity so innovation is responsible, not reckless.

11:40

12:30

Nadine Maggs | Finance Manager | Devonport City Council


Topic: Transforming Rates and Reminders: Key Capabilities of Forms Express eNotices

Join Nadine Maggs, Finance Manager at Devonport City Council, as she presents a practical overview of the Forms Express eNotices platform and its integration into council operations.

This session will highlight:

Digital Notice Delivery: How eNotices streamline the distribution of rates and reminder notices, including elective reminders and quarterly instalments.

  • FlexiPay Integration: Insights into the payment design brief and how FlexiPay options are configured for ratepayers
  • Customer Data Management: Techniques for syncing registration data with TechOne and resolving discrepancies in email lists.
  • Operational Efficiency: Improvements in notice run turnaround times, automation features, and dashboard access for internal teams.
  • Public Education Tools: A look at the instructional video created for staff and ratepayers to simplify eNotice onboarding.

Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the platform’s capabilities, challenges encountered during rollout, and lessons learned that can inform future digital transformation initiatives.

12:30

13:00

Lunch

13:00

13:45

Phillip Monk | Business Intelligence Lead | City Of Hobart

Topic: Contractopia: Where Contracts Live Their Best Life

Join Phillip Monk, Business Intelligence Lead at Hobart City Council and developer of Contractopia, as he shares the journey behind Hobart City Council’s innovative Contract Management System (CMS).

Built entirely on the Microsoft Power Platform, Contractopia reimagines how contracts are registered, tracked, and managed. Developed in the Power Platform the system brings together the power of Power Apps, Power Automate, Dataverse, and Power BI to deliver a seamless, intelligent experience tailored to local government needs.

This presentation is designed for councils looking to modernize their contract processes. Phillip will walk through:

  • The Development Journey – How low-code tools enabled rapid, scalable system development.
  • Core Features – Including automated            workflows, smart notifications, and intuitive dashboards.
  • Key Benefits – From reducing manual effort to improving transparency, compliance, and reporting.
  • BI Integration – Turning contract data into actionable insights for better decision-making.
  • Collaboration Opportunities – What’s next for Contractopia and how other councils can get involved.

Whether you're exploring digital transformation or seeking practical solutions, this session offers a real-world example of how the Power Platform can empower local government to help contract live their best life.



13:50

14:35

Scott Newman | Solutions Architect | Devonport City Council

Topic: Rose: AI-Driven Customer Experience—From Copilot Studio to Voicebot and 3D Avatar


Explore Devonport City Council’s journey in digital transformation through the evolution of “Rose”—from an AI-powered chatbot to an advanced voicebot and immersive 3D avatar. This session will showcase how Rose, developed using Microsoft Copilot Studio, Voice AI and HeyGen is redefining customer engagement and operational efficiency in local government.

Attendees will learn:

  • How Copilot Studio enables rapid, no-code development of conversational AI agents that integrate seamlessly with council data and services.
  • The deployment and impact of Rose the Voicebot, including call handling, overflow management, and 24/7 support for community inquiries.
  • The future vision for Rose as a 3D avatar, offering immersive, accessible, and human-like digital interactions for residents and staff.
  • Lessons learned, practical implementation tips, and the cultural shift required to embed AI and automation into council operations.

This agenda item will include live demonstrations, real-world use cases, and a discussion on the challenges and opportunities of scaling AI-powered customer service in the public sector.

14:45

15:45

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?

15:45

16:00

Ideas for future presenters and topics

16:00

Meeting Close


I&DT SharePoint TeamSite

Viva Engage (Yammer)

LG Professionals Tasmania I&DT SIG - Home (sharepoint.com) Viva Engage - LG Professionals Tasmania I&DT SIG (yammer.com)

These resources are hosted by Devonport City Council and available for all Council employees. If you do

not have access, please contact Jeff Griffith.


Full Program and Sponsors:

6 November 2025 I and DT SIG Agenda.pdf