Public Sector Podcast

Hosted by Public Sector Network

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Episodes

100

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Sep 2026

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About the show

The Public Sector Podcast features live talks, exclusive interviews and roundtables with public sector thought leaders from around the world. This podcast is presented by Public Sector Network, a social enterprise designed to help governments network, benchmark and establish best practice on a global scale through events, online networks and content created for public servants seeking knowledge and fresh insights.

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60 recent

September 1, 2026Episode 19219 min

From Potential to Practice: Using Responsible AI to Deliver Better Public Services - Arlene Williams & Clay Bates - Episode 192

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

August 23, 2026Episode 19121 min

Executing the Finance Reform Program: Successfully Deploying the Whole-of-Government Finance System - Matt Moffat & Sarah Taylor - Episode 191

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

August 16, 2026Episode 19034 min

Building a Future - Fit Public Sector Workforce - Josie Cluer - Episode 190

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

August 9, 2026Episode 19822 min

Accessibility and Inclusion by Design: Closing the Digital Divide - E189

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

August 2, 2026Episode 18822 min

Next Generation Policing in South Australia – How Technology and Data is Enhancing Frontline Response and Building Safer Communities - Vaiju Joshi - Episode 188

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

July 26, 2026Episode 18717 min

Navigating the Digital Frontier: GNB's Approach to AI and Innovation - Tony Daye - Episode 187

As governments accelerate AI and emerging tech adoption, Tony Daye, Chief Digital Officer, Finance and Treasury Board, Government of New Brunswick explores why trust, transparency, and governance are now just as critical as innovation itself. Featuring insights from the Government of New Brunswick, it highlights how embedding accountability and ethics into day-to-day decision-making helps agencies move faster without losing public confidence. The conversation focuses on practical ways to scale digital innovation responsibly from day one—putting clear governance around AI use, building ethical safeguards into delivery, and strengthening cross-agency coordination so innovation and oversight stay aligned. The takeaway: you can scale transformative technologies with control and confidence, while keeping citizen trust at the centre. Tony Daye, Chief Digital Officer, Finance and Treasury Board, Government of New Brunswick For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

July 19, 2026Episode 18629 min

Q&A with Arizona Secretary of State's CISO Michael Moore - Episode 186

Join Michael Moore, CISO for the Arizona Secretary of State's Office, as he discusses how cybersecurity in government is becoming a leadership and public trust issue—especially in elections, where cyber risk overlaps with physical threats, misinformation, operational logistics, and legal pressures. Referencing a cyber incident he attributes to Iran, he outlines what agencies need now: stronger fundamentals, data classification, AI training, and secure-by-design practices. He also stresses shared responsibility across security, IT, business leaders, and vendors—and the need to keep a human in the loop as AI use expands. Michael Moore, Chief Information Security Officer, Arizona Secretary of State's Office For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

July 12, 2026Episode 18521 min

Quantum Encryption & Government Readiness: Preparing for a Post-Quantum Future - Michael Watson & Glenn Schmitz - Episode 185

As quantum technologies evolve, the encryption protecting government systems, critical infrastructure, and citizen data is facing emerging risk. This episode brings together Michael Watson, Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth, Virginia Information Technologies Agency and Glenn Schmitz, Chief Information Security Officer, Virginia State Corporation Commission to unpack what the post-quantum era means for the public sector—and why preparation can't wait. Michael and Glenn focus on practical next steps: understanding new cryptographic standards, assessing risk and prioritising which systems to transition first, planning migration across large hybrid environments, and strengthening public-private collaboration to accelerate quantum-safe readiness. Michael Watson, Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth, Virginia Information Technologies Agency and Glenn Schmitz, Chief Information Security Officer, Virginia State Corporation Commission. For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

June 16, 2026Episode 18439 min

EY global research: The intelligence layer - how agentic AI can connect the infrastructure industry - Steve Lewis - Episode 184

In this week's episode, Steve Lewis (EY Global Infrastructure Technology Leader and Head of Infrastructure Advisory, Hong Kong) unpacks why decades of digital investment still haven't closed the productivity gap in infrastructure delivery—and why agentic AI could change the equation by surfacing better insight earlier, improving decision-making, and helping teams manage risk and complexity with more confidence. Steve's core message is practical: don't "digitise everything" for the sake of it. Start by getting clear on your outcomes, ROI, and the specific pain points worth transforming—then measure success properly, involve the people doing the work, and communicate change in a way that resonates. The takeaway: focus on transforming the right things, not adding another layer to the digitisation bandwagon. Download EY's new global research report, "The intelligence layer - how agentic AI can connect the infrastructure industry," at https://www.ey.com/en_gl/insights/infrastructure/how-agentic-ai-can-create-an-intelligence-layer-for-infrastructure Steve Lewis, EY Global Infrastructure Technology Leader and Head of Infrastructure Advisory, Hong Kong For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co

June 7, 2026Episode 18315 min

Trust That Outlives Technology: Protecting Public Data in the Quantum Era - Sandeep Taileng - Episode 183

This week, Sandeep Taileng, Co Chair - National Committee For Information Access & Protection Requirements and Information Security Leader, State Trustees (Victoria) explores why quantum readiness is no longer a future problem, but a responsibility we need to act on today. Sandeep discusses the growing risk of "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks, and why organisations must start making technology decisions now that will protect sensitive data not just today, but decades into the future. The conversation also looks at the idea of a fiduciary duty to protect data — moving beyond checkbox compliance toward long-term risk management. By building resilience, automation and crypto-agility into today's systems, organisations can adapt to post-quantum cryptography and ensure the information they safeguard today remains secure tomorrow. Sandeep Taileng, Co Chair - National Committee For Information Access & Protection Requirements and Information Security Leader, State Trustees (Victoria) For more great insights head to www.PublicSectorNetwork.co