Public Sector Perspectives: AI, Policy and Practice with Dr Steve Hodgkinson
In this episode of Public Sector Perspectives, Dr Steve Hodgkinson talks about the potential impacts of AI on the way the public sector works. Drawing on his long experience in the sector, including his current position as Chief Digital Officer for Victoria Police, Steve offers some very practical advice on how public servants can safely use the new tools that AI creates and the sort of the traps that you need to avoid. Whilst it’s tempting to see AI is being totally new and different, Steve argues that AI is still just IT and that many of the IT policies and procedures that we have built in the past are still relevant in the AI-enabled workplace.
RESOURCES REFERRED TO IN THIS PODCAST
Jobs and Skills Australia recently released a new report Our Gen AI Transition - Implications for Work and Skills. You can find it here: https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/publications/generative-ai-capacity-study-report
You can register for IPAA Victoria’s free for members webinar AI in action: real stories and lessons from the Victorian Public Sector on Thursday 9 October 2025 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm. You can find it here: https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/events/ai-in-action-real-stories-and-lessons-from-the-victorian-public-sector/
You can find out more details about IPAA Victoria’s other upcoming events here: https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/events/
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Episode 41: International Women's Day revisit - Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM
In Australia, serious mental illness is much more common in women than it is in men. In 2021, 23% of all women reported experiencing some form of serious depression or anxiety. That compares to 14% of men.
This gender disparity is example of what drives the work of our guest on this episode of Public Sector Perspectives: Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM, Professor of Psychiatry at the Alfred Hospital and Monash University and the Founder and Director of two research centres: the HER Centre Australia and the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre. Together we examine why using a gender lens is so important when we think about mental health services for women, whether the current funding priorities in mental health services are appropriate and what gives Professor Kulkarni hope that things will get better.
This is the second of two episodes profiling two women who are changing the way health services are delivered in Australia. The first episode profiles the work of Professor Marion Saville AM, Executive Director of Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer.
RESOURCES REFERRED TO IN THIS PODCAST
• Find out more about the work of the HER Centre Australia (https://www.monash.edu/medicine/her-centre) and the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (https://www.alfredhealth.org.au/research/research-areas/maprc).
• You can find out more details about IPAA Victoria’s upcoming events here https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/events/.
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Episode 40: International Women's Day revisit - Professor Marion Saville AM
This episode of Public Sector Perspectives profiles an unsung public policy success story: Australia is on track to be the first country in the world to effectively eliminate cervical cancer. We talk to Professor Marion Saville AM, Executive Director at the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer, about what has put us in this unique position and what she thinks are the lessons this success should teach us about effective public policy.
This is the first of two episodes profiling two women who are changing the way health services are delivered in Australia. The second episode profiles the work of Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM who is Professor of Psychiatry at The Alfred Hospital and Monash University and the founder of two research centres focusing on women’s mental health.
Podcast Host
Nick Bastow
IPAA Victoria
Podcast Guest
Professor Marion Saville AM
Executive Director at the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer
RESOURCES REFERRED TO IN THIS PODCAST
• You can find out more about the work of the Australian Centre for the Prevention Cervical Cancer here: https://acpcc.org.au/
• Details about the Centre’s work to reduce cervical cancer in the Pacific region can be found here: https://acpcc.org.au/epicc-program-update-may-2025-on-our-journey-to-fairer-cervical-cancer-outcomes-in-the-indo-pacific-region/
• This Our World In Data summary shows the extraordinary potential of combined vaccination and screening programs to effectively eliminate cervical cancer worldwide: https://ourworldindata.org/hpv-vaccination-world-can-eliminate-cervical-cancer
You can find out more details about IPAA Victoria’s upcoming events here: https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/events/
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Episode 38: Fellows Feature with Robert Hortle
IPAA Victoria CEO Amanda Stevens speaks with Robert Hortle – one of IPAA Victoria’s newest Fellows and Commissioner of Wage Inspectorate Victoria. Robert talks about his career in the public sector and the secret to being a good industry regulator. He also reflects on the work of the Inspectorate and why the impact of the public sector needs to be measured in both the really big - and the really tiny - moments.
Wage Inspectorate Victoria promotes (https://www.vic.gov.au/wage-inspectorate-victoria) and enforces Victoria’s long service leave, child employment, owner driver and forestry contractor laws.
You can find out more details about IPAA Victoria’s other new Fellows here: https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/insights/ipaa-victoria-announces-2024-victorian-fellows/
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Episode 39: Fellows Feature with Brigid Monagle
IPAA CEO Amanda Stevens speaks with Brigid Monagle – one of IPAA Victoria’s newest Fellows and Commissioner of the Victorian Public Sector Commission. Brigid talks about her career in the public sector and how watching federal budgets being delivered on television was the beginning of her interest in public policy. She also discusses the importance of understanding the values that underpin the Victorian Public Sector Code of Conduct and the core capabilities that all good public servants need.
RESOURCES REFERRED TO IN THIS PODCAST
• The Victorian Public Sector Code of Conduct is here: https://vpsc.vic.gov.au/ethics-behaviours-culture/codes-of-conduct/code-of-conduct-for-victorian-public-sector-employees/
• Adam Grant’s idea of 'character skills' – as opposed to ‘soft skills’ – comes from his book Hidden Potential: https://adamgrant.net/book/hidden-potential/
• you can find out more details about IPAA Victoria’s other new Fellows here: https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/insights/ipaa-victoria-announces-2024-victorian-fellows/
• and our upcoming events here: https://www.vic.ipaa.org.au/events/
IPAA Victoria presents Public Sector Perspectives, a podcast featuring conversation with incredible people highlighting the interesting work in government and across the Victorian Public Sector.
Australia