Welcome back to Lab Notes. It's been quiet for a while, but the show returns with a refreshed format: three stories from the innovation and technology space, broken down for what they actually mean for councils across Queensland. Host Matt Oxlade leads the LGAQ Lab, the innovation arm of the Local Government Association of Queensland, helping councils co-design low-cost, high-impact pilot solutions to their biggest problems.

This episode covers:

AI and wildlife monitoring. Councils collect enormous volumes of environmental data, animal surveys, threatened species assessments, vegetation mapping, camera trap images, but turning that data into action is often the missing piece. Matt looks at the mosquito outbreak prediction model the LGAQ Lab co-designed with Mackay Regional Council, plus new research out of Washington State University showing AI can compress months of wildlife camera image analysis into days, matching expert conclusions 85 to 90% of the time.

A safer way to work on live roads. The story behind the Arresta 100, a towable safety trailer built by Queensland manufacturer ProTX, and the road safety advocate whose own loss helped drive it into existence. It replaces the traditional truck-mounted attenuator, and the dedicated truck and driver that come with it, with a trailer any council can tow behind a vehicle already in its fleet. More info: Arresta 100 – MASH TL-3 Trailer Vehicle Arrestor | ProTx

Australia's shift to mandatory AI standards. On 15 July, the Prime Minister signalled the end of five years of voluntary AI guidance in Australia, announcing a move toward mandatory, enforceable national AI standards and a new Office of AI. Matt unpacks what's actually changing, what it means for local government specifically, and where councils can start getting ready now.

Got a problem your council is sitting on that technology might help solve? There's no problem too big or small to talk through. Reach the LGAQ Lab at [email protected].

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Cr Peter Mitchell is a councillor for Division 2, Cleveland & North Stradbroke Island, and a passionate advocate for innovation in Redland City Council.

In this episode, Cr Mitchell speaks about how Redland City Council has adopted innovative practices, how he feels the LGAQ Lab could support councils, what an innovative project needs to have to be considered viable for councils to trial, and lots more. 

Tracy and Matt also share an update on the LGAQ Lab and  what the initial reactions have been from those that have been given tours. 

Jenine Beekhuyzen is the powerhouse behind the Tech Girls Movement Foundation, a not-for-profit assisting young female entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams in the tech industry.

In this episode Jenine speaks about the goal of Tech Girls, how she continues to engage and inspire the girls to realise their goals, how shared spaces serve innovation and community, and how the Tech Girls workshops continue to inspire generations of young women in tech.

Tracy and Matt also speak about how the LGAQ Lab needed to change before the doors were even open.

More about Jenine
Jenine's website
Tech Girls

Dr Nicholas O'Donnell talks about the importance of genuine executive buy-in, psychological safety, leading with empathy and gamification. Dr Nicholas O'Donnell now works as the Director of Digital Experience with Codex Consulting Group to help businesses achieve new levels of digital outcomes. Find Dr Nicholas O'Donnell on LinkedIn.

Tracy and Matt also talk about why the word innovation is scary.

More reading Dr O'Donnell references

Morle, Phil. "The 16 Elements of Pollenizer’s Innovation System"
https://startupsventurecapital.com/the-16-elements-of-pollenizers-innovation-system-1de2df0a7870

Eggers, William D., and Joel Bellman. "The journey to government’s digital transformation." Deloitte.
https://www2.deloitte.com/xe/en/insights/topics/digital-transformation/digital-transformation-in-government.html

Stephanidis, Constantine, et al. "Seven HCI grand challenges." International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction 35.14 (2019): 1229-1269.
https://www.db-thueringen.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/dbt_derivate_00050401/1532-7590_35_2019_14_1229-1269.pdf

O'Donnell, Nicholas. "Narrative gamification of online civic interactions". Diss. Queensland University of Technology, 2021.
https://eprints.qut.edu.au/213590/1/Nicholas_O%27Donnell_Thesis.pdf

Robert R Hoffman, Matthew Johnson, and Jeffrey M Bradshaw. 2013. "Trust in Automation". IEEE Intelligent Systems 28, 1 (2013), 84–88.
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.657.4418&rep=rep1&type=pdf

We met Cat Matson when she was in the role of Chief Digital Officer of Brisbane, and have been inspired by her digital leadership ever since. In this episode, Cat speaks to us about the organic collaboration, how our space can engineer serendipity and the importance of considering the 'what's in it for me' question when designing projects.

View Cat's LinkedIn or visit Impactful Presenters. 

Tracy and Matt also some of the pain points in building the LGAQ Lab.

Dr Nicholas O'Donnell talks about the importance of genuine executive buy-in, psychological safety, leading with empathy and gamification. Dr Nicholas O'Donnell now works as the Director of Digital Experience with Codex Consulting Group to help businesses achieve new levels of digital outcomes. Find Dr Nicholas O'Donnell on LinkedIn.

Tracy and Matt also break down the different segments of the LGAQ Lab and the thinking behind each of the zones.

More reading Dr O'Donnell references

Morle, Phil. "The 16 Elements of Pollenizer’s Innovation System"
https://startupsventurecapital.com/the-16-elements-of-pollenizers-innovation-system-1de2df0a7870

Eggers, William D., and Joel Bellman. "The journey to government’s digital transformation." Deloitte.
https://www2.deloitte.com/xe/en/insights/topics/digital-transformation/digital-transformation-in-government.html

Stephanidis, Constantine, et al. "Seven HCI grand challenges." International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction 35.14 (2019): 1229-1269.
https://www.db-thueringen.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/dbt_derivate_00050401/1532-7590_35_2019_14_1229-1269.pdf

O'Donnell, Nicholas. "Narrative gamification of online civic interactions". Diss. Queensland University of Technology, 2021.
https://eprints.qut.edu.au/213590/1/Nicholas_O%27Donnell_Thesis.pdf

Robert R Hoffman, Matthew Johnson, and Jeffrey M Bradshaw. 2013. "Trust in Automation". IEEE Intelligent Systems 28, 1 (2013), 84–88.
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.657.4418&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Cara Cipollone-Walsh joins us on the LGAQ Lab Podcast to discuss how to remove innovation silos and make spaces feel owned by everyone in the business, thought-diversity, setting expectations for innovation and more.

Tracy and Matt also talk about their time touring Google, Facebook, Salesforce and Telstra innovation hubs and offices to model the LGAQ Lab from.

Get involved  

We’re keen for anyone that works in local government to reach out to us to share their big ideas that other councils can benefit from. Email us at the LGAQ Lab at [email protected]. We are also interested in hearing from industry professionals who are working in innovation to reach out to us and share what they are working on.

Welcome to the first episode of the LGAQ Lab Podcast!

The LGAQ is launching an innovation lab dedicated to producing cutting-edge digital products and services for Queensland councils. We call it LGAQ Lab. And this is the podcast that accompanies it!

We thought what better guest to feature on the first episode was the then-CEO of LGAQ, Greg Hallam AM PSM, talking about the vision he had for the LGAQ Lab and why councils stand to benefit greatly from the initiative. 

Get involved  

We’re keen for anyone that works in local government to reach out to us to share their big ideas that other councils can benefit from. Email us at the LGAQ Lab at [email protected]. We are also interested in hearing from industry professionals who are working in innovation to reach out to us and share what they are working on.