Advancing AI Innovation in Local Government
Introduction
MAVlab is leading a strategic, sector wide approach to support collaboration and coordination of AI delivery in Victorian Local government.
This program of work kicked off via the delivery of the "Advancing AI Innovation in Local Government" Project - a collaboration between MAVlab, MAV Procurement and the City of Greater Dandenong to better understand the opportunities for the integration of AI and automation in the statutory planning process.
This work was funded by the Commonwealth Housing Support Program in order to enhance councils' ability to address housing supply issues.
This first phase of work focused on innovations in AI procurement. Outputs included:
- Adopting AI for Planning in Victoria's Councils report: This is a comprehensive summary of the design research process and insights about AI use in councils - both in the statutory planning process and beyond.
- AI & Planning Use Cases: A detailed set of uses cases for the application of AI in the statutory planning process
- AI Procurement Support: AI Procurement guidance documents and the development of a new procurement assessment criteria to evaluate AI vendors
- AI Procurement Register: the establishment of a new "AI in Planning" Procurement Register to support councils to access a group of vendors who have been evaluated against an assessment criteria.
This work was highly collaborative with 250+ participants contributing to shaping these outputs. Among the core themes expressed through consultation, was the significant opportunity for enhanced collaboration across the sector.
The sector expressed a strong desire for MAVlab to continue to play a leadership role in the support and coordination among Victorian councils as they move from experimental testing and piloting of AI into adoption and regular use.
Adopting AI for Planning in Victoria's Councils
A foundational resource for councils building capability in the age of AI.
The AI in Statutory Planning Report (PDF - 3.3MB) explores how Victorian councils can approach artificial intelligence in statutory planning with clarity, care and confidence.
Led by the MAVlab, in partnership with the City of Greater Dandenong and supported by the Commonwealth Housing Support Program, the report captures the insights of more than 250 participants across 50 victorian councils—including planners, technologists, academics, Indigenous leaders, and industry experts.
Developed through months of research, interviews and workshops, the report examines what it takes for councils to adopt emerging technology responsibly. It reframes AI not as a quick technical solution but as a governance and capability question: how can councils build the understanding, ethics and processes to make informed, transparent and community-aligned decisions about technology?
The report offers practical guidance, ethical frameworks and evaluation tools to help councils make confident, evidence-based choices about AI. It supports conversations about readiness, procurement and accountability—encouraging local governments to focus on strategy before adoption and understanding before automation.
Created collaboratively through extensive engagement, the report views planning as a system of people, tools and places. It demonstrates how thoughtful design and systemic thinking can ensure technology serves public purpose rather than convenience.
The MAV Lab AI in Statutory Planning Report is intended for councils, policy makers, planners and researchers seeking a structured way to explore the potential of AI while safeguarding transparency and community trust. It can be used to inform procurement strategies, shape governance frameworks, or start sector discussions on what responsible innovation should look like in practice.
Use this report to inform AI strategy discussions, support internal decision-making, and guide responsible procurement and governance within council planning teams. it can also be used to benchmark approaches to responsible innovation in local government,
This report synthesises insights from the extensive council, sector and vendor consultation and interviews that shaped the procurement outputs.
AI Use Case Library for Statutory Planning
The AI Use Case Library (PDF - 1.15MB) is a practical reference guide that maps out where AI can—and importantly, where it should not—be applied across the statutory planning process. It provides concrete examples of AI applications at each stage of planning workflows, from pre-application guidance through to compliance monitoring, and clearly identifies areas that require human judgment and oversight.
This library was created through extensive consultation with experts across planning, statutory planning processes, AI governance, and ethical technology use. The research involved engagement with professionals from all levels of government, academia, peak bodies, and the private sector—including planners, developers, consultants, residents, and regulatory experts.
This multi-stakeholder approach enabled us to:
- Understand the purpose and objectives of planning from all perspectives
- Identify the sensitive decision points in the statutory planning process
- Recognise areas where human judgment, discretion, and contextual understanding are irreplaceable
- Distinguish between tasks suitable for automation and those requiring human oversight
- Surface governance gaps where current AI technologies may not align with planning objectives or regulatory requirements.
The document is nuanced and respects the complexity of planning work while identifying genuine opportunities for AI to support—not replace—professional planners.
Key applications:
- Co-designing solutions with vendors: We strongly recommend councils use this library when working collaboratively with vendors to develop AI solutions tailored to local needs. Share relevant use cases during discovery sessions to ensure vendors understand not just what tasks could be automated, but the governance, ethical, and regulatory context that must be preserved.
- Strategic planning and prioritisation: Use the library to inform your council's AI strategy by identifying which use cases align with your current priorities, capacity, and risk appetite. The library helps you sequence implementation—starting with lower-risk applications before progressing to more complex use cases.
- Procurement and specification development: Reference specific use cases when developing requirements for EOIs or tenders. This ensures vendors understand your intended applications and can demonstrate relevant capabilities.
- Risk assessment and governance: Use the "not recommended" use cases to educate your team about where AI should not be deployed, helping establish clear boundaries and governance protocols for AI use in planning.
- Stakeholder communication: Draw on the library's examples when explaining AI initiatives to council leadership, planning teams, or the community—demonstrating thoughtful, bounded approaches to technology adoption.
Reference this library when developing your AI strategy, co-designing solutions with vendors, creating procurement specifications, establishing governance boundaries, or communicating about AI initiatives with stakeholders.
Empowering Councils with AI Procurement Guidance
Building on the insights from this report, MAVlab has developed practical procurement support to help councils confidently adopt AI solutions for planning processes.
A new AI Procurement Register is established through MAV procurement, to connect local government with a curated group of suppliers offering AI products and services for statutory planning.
All vendors listed on this register have been assessed against rigorous criteria developed through the research and engagement process that is documented in the report. This appraoch ensures councils can procure AI solutions with confidence, knowing suppliers meet sector-specific ethical, technical, and governance standards.
To complement the register, MAVlab has produced five essential procurement resources that guide councils through every stage of their AI procurement journey—from evaluating vendor capabilities and understanding AI solutions, to managing ongoing supplier relationships.
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