Public Sector Podcast

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
 
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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.
 
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Join Arlene Williams (Associate Deputy Minister and Chief Digital Officer) and Clay Bates (Executive Director of AI and Cloud Engineering) of the Department of Cyber Security and Digital Solutions, who share how the Government of Nova Scotia is turning AI into a practical, trusted capability that improves how government delivers clear, reliable online services. The focus isn't on AI for hype's sake—it's on using AI in everyday work to lift productivity, modernise service delivery, and build long-term digital resilience across the public service.
 
You'll hear how the Department of Cyber Security and Digital Solutions (CSDS) is making this real: deploying secure, approved AI productivity tools inside existing platforms, building in-house expertise to design and run AI-enabled services tailored to public sector needs, and reducing reliance on external support by strengthening internal capability—while keeping accountability, security, and the human connection at the centre of public service.
 
Arlene Williams, Associate Deputy Minister, Chief Digital Officer, Department of Cyber Security and Digital Solutions, Government of Nova Scotia, Clay Bates, Executive Director, AI & Cloud Engineering, Department of Cyber Security and Digital Solutions, Government of Nova Scotia
 
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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
 
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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