It's imperative for governments at all levels to develop policy and frameworks to allow the community to access the benefits of AI and shepherd them from the emerging issues it presents.
As the level of government closest to their communities, the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) was early to identify the need for councils to be at the forefront of this work and has built a program of work that is leading our sector on a national stage.
Yesterday, the MAV was pleased to watch Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announce a national framework and Office of AI to bring together a coordinated response to AI and address the technology's growing economic, social and environmental impacts in our communities,
While our focus in always local, the MAV is pleased to meet this moment with sector leadership through a new National AI Working Group for Local Government, in collaboration with the Australian Local Government Association.
This working group will collaborate with local government across Australia and leverage the impact and continue to build on the AI work the MAV has already delivered in support the local government sector. Our Advancing AI Innovation in Local Government work program includes the MAV AI Procurement Register, award-winning work on AI in Statutory Planning.
After an extensive collaboration with an AI taskforce comprised of local government, industry, and academic leaders, MAV will soon launch the Local Government AI Roadmap to encourage knowledge and resource sharing and greater collaboration amongst the sector.
MAV's Chief Innovator in Residence Bonnie Shaw says the MAV is delivering work in collaboration with councils that supports an approach to AI that prioritises thoughtful stewardship.
“Rapid AI developments present transformative opportunities for the local government sector in serving their communities. Utilising AI in a strategic and considered way has the potential to relieve increasing workload demands, enhance efficiency, and move towards more anticipatory service and maintenance” Ms Shaw explains.
“But as councils adopt AI, they must lead with their values: transparency in decision-making, cultural inclusivity, support for professional judgment, and thoughtful stewardship of place and community, to guard against the reality of its challenges.”
While there has been high visibility for the legitimate community concerns of local communities related to the development of data centres and their impacts on amenity, water and energy use, there are also other emerging challenges for councils to navigate.
These technologies act as a force multiplier, accelerating challenges of misinformation, harassment, synthetic demand, algorithmic amplification and fragmented information environments that present a vulnerable attack surface that can be exploited for disruption.”
“It is vital that we tackle the extraordinary opportunities and these critical challenges together – not as the 538 individual local governments in Australia, but as a sector, connected by a shared mission to serve all local Australian communities. The MAV is pleased to take on this leadership role to support local governments across Australia to connect and learn from one another.”
MAV President Cr Jennifer Anderson emphasised the need for MAV’s AI leadership.
“The MAV is truly leading this work from a local, national and global perspective. While utilising and managing AI won’t be the role of a single level of Government, as the level of government closest to the community, councils will have unique opportunities and challenges, which is why the MAV is so passionately working at the forefront.”
Read more about the MAV’s work on AI here: https://www.mav.asn.au/mavlab/service-and-tech
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