The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has celebrated the success of its first Tech Leadership Summit in Sydney, with more than 100 local government leaders, including mayors, shire presidents and councillors, participating.
The one-day summit on 12 March 2025 featured a range of experts and guest speakers including keynote Nick Abrahams, who highlighted how local governments around the world are using AI to be more citizen-centric and boost efficiency and productivity.
Several councils, including the Yarra Ranges Council (Victoria) and City of West Torrens (South Australia) showcased how they were using sophisticated AI tools to deliver better services to their communities.
The conference also heard about the ongoing challenges of cyber security for local government, including from renowned expert Cr Jeff Whitton and Australian Signals Directorate Assistant Director-General, James Kay.
In the final session, Local Government Association of Queensland Chief Digital Officer, Tracy Whitelaw, delivered an intriguing presentation about data transformation to streamline and improve council services and information.
