MontCo + AI: Delivering Better Public Services with Trust and Transparency - Neil Makhija - Episode 197

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 more accurate service at scale. Neil focuses on what it takes to operationalise AI responsibly: targeting use cases with immediate public impact, building governance and guardrails that deploy with the system, being transparent about where AI is used while keeping humans accountable, and proactively managing risks like misinformation, bias, and privacy/security. It also highlights the importance of workforce readiness and measuring outcomes so performance improvements are sustainable. Neil Makhija, Commissioner, Montgomery County     For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co    

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 landscape through NCSC's key judgements: persistent state-sponsored activity, industrialised cyber crime (increasingly accelerated by AI), hacktivism linked to global conflict, supply chain exposure, and the ongoing damage caused by weak fundamentals like patching and identity security. It also connects these risks to New Zealand's 2026–2030 cybersecurity strategy and reinforces a simple message: report incidents, work together, and get the basics right, faster. Emma Bickerstaffe, Director Cyber Defence Operations, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)   For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co  

  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 Bowes, Facilitator, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, TAFE NSW explore how AI is reshaping government roles through 2027 and beyond, boosting productivity by supporting frontline work rather than replacing it. Our guests so look at workforce readiness: how teams are starting to use AI, which skills are emerging or missing, and what practical upskilling is needed to build confidence and adoption—through targeted digital and data capability building.   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 Bowes, Facilitator, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, TAFE NSW   For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co  

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   For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co    

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.   For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co  

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   For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co 

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   For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co  

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    

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 accessibility and inclusion by design. The conversation focuses on how New Zealand can close the digital divide by moving beyond accessibility as a late-stage fix and instead embedding lived experience and inclusive thinking into the architecture of digital service delivery. You'll hear the "why" and the "how" of the shift underway: treating accessibility as core public service infrastructure (not a procurement checkbox), designing services around choice and equitable channels, and transitioning from legacy web standards to a broader digital accessibility standard that covers apps, documents, and more. The episode also explores feedback-driven innovation—making it easier for people to report barriers, using accessibility statements and clear contact channels, and ensuring AI-enabled services don't unintentionally amplify bias or exclude disabled communities. 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. For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co  

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 "mobile office on the go" approach, where the mobile phone becomes the primary device for accessing systems, completing workflows, and staying informed in the field. The episode also shares early results and why co-design "for frontline, by frontline" is key to making the change stick. Vaiju Joshi, Portfolio Director, Mobility Transformation, SA Police   For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co