The Smart Community Podcast

In this episode of The Smart Community Podcast, we continue our Future Of series, this time looking at the future of artificial intelligence in local government. I speak with Josh Bearup, Emerging Technologies Officer at Mornington Peninsula Shire in Victoria.

Josh shares his non-traditional pathway into technology, from working in a laundromat to completing a cybersecurity qualification and joining the Victorian Government through a cybersecurity internship. We then explore how AI could change the way local government operates, including Josh's view on how it can shift humans away from simply executing processes and towards defining, improving and taking accountability for them.

A big part of our conversation focuses on governance and the importance of making organisational processes more explicit. Josh shares how mapping processes, documenting relationships between people, systems and procedures, and building stronger organisational knowledge can create a better foundation for using AI responsibly.

We also discuss why governance can no longer just sit in policies and documents. As AI takes on more work, councils need clear processes, defined decision points and strong human accountability around how the work is actually done. Josh shares practical examples from Mornington Peninsula Shire, and we finish by talking about how councils can start experimenting with AI in ways that are useful, scalable and responsible.

As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Connect:

Connect with me via email: [email protected]

Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn or YouTube.

The Smart Community Podcast is produced by PERK Digital.

This podcast is recorded on the traditional lands of the  Kabi Kabi peoples and edited on the lands of the Gaibal peoples.   I pay my respects to traditional owners of country and their elders past and present. I also extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening today.  Here on the Smart Community Podcast, we talk about data, technology, communities and the future. First Nations peoples have been sharing knowledge, caring for country, and telling stories for tens of thousands of years.  I honour that deep connection of storytelling and community connection as we continue our conversation together here today.

Hi Smart Community friends,

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work and record this podcast and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening.

In this episode of The Smart Community Podcast, we continue our Future Of series, this time looking at the future of data privacy. Data privacy is no longer something organisations can treat as a compliance exercise. As more services collect location data, biometrics and information through a range of tools, including AI-powered tools, the decisions we make about data have real consequences for individuals and communities.

I speak with Debbie Reynolds, AKA The Data Diva, about the future of data privacy and the growing relationship between privacy, trust and emerging technology. We explore why having nothing to hide does not mean having nothing to protect, and the risks of collecting data without clear purpose or context.

We also discuss why organisations need to consider privacy from the very beginning. Debbie shares practical insights into AI data minimisation, informed consent, and the importance of only collecting information that can be properly protected.

Responsible technology isn't only about what a system can do. It's also about who benefits, what risks are created, and whether people are genuinely informed and empowered.

As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Connect:
Connect with Debbie via LinkedIn and learn more about her work with Debbie Reynolds Consulting.
Connect with me via email: [email protected]
Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn or YouTube.
The Smart Community Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

Hi Smart Community friends,

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work and record this podcast and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening.

In this episode of The Smart Community Podcast, I speak with Renee Wootton Tomlin, aerospace engineer, commercial pilot and Founder and CEO of New Era Energy, about the future of sustainable aviation and Australia’s opportunity to build a domestic renewable fuels industry.

Renee shares her journey from aerospace engineering and flying into the sustainable aviation fuel space, including her experience working on Western Sydney International Airport and supporting the development of ethanol-to-jet technology with LanzaJet.

We discuss what sustainable aviation fuel actually is, the different materials that can be used to produce it and why policy, finance and demand certainty may be bigger barriers than the technology itself.

We also explore how First Nations knowledge, ownership and economic participation can be placed at the centre of the energy transition, rather than communities simply being consulted after decisions have already been made.

The conversation also covers energy sovereignty, opportunities for regional communities and farmers, the skills Australia will need and why this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a new industry here at home.

As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Connect with Renee via LinkedIn and learn more about her work with New Era Energy.

Connect with me via email: [email protected]

Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn or YouTube.

The Smart Community Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

Hi #SmartCommunity friends,

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work and record this podcast and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening.

In this episode of the Smart Community Podcast, I speak with Felicity Furey, engineer, author, speaker and CEO of WeAspire, about the future of engineering and why it's time to rethink how we design the world around us.

Felicity shares the inspiration behind her new book, The Future of Engineering: Legacy by Design, exploring how engineering can move beyond traditional measures of time, cost and quality to create infrastructure that prioritises people, communities and long-term wellbeing.

We discuss why engineering is not broken but incomplete, how human-centred thinking needs to evolve and why diverse perspectives, meaningful community engagement and systems thinking are essential for building better places.

We also explore the hidden biases embedded in engineering, standards and technology, why diverse perspectives lead to better outcomes and how genuine community engagement can help create infrastructure that serves everyone, not just the people it was originally designed for.

The conversation also explores technology, AI, leadership and our growing need to reconnect with the human experience as we shape smarter communities.

As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Connect:

Connect with Felicity via LinkedIn and learn more about her work

Connect with me via email: [email protected]

Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube.

The Smart Community Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

Hi #SmartCommunity friends,

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work and record this podcast and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening.

In this episode of the Smart Community Podcast, I speak with Professor Martin Tomitsch, Head of the Transdisciplinary School at UTS, about the evolution and future of human-centred design.

Martin shares how human-centred design has shaped technology and innovation over the past few decades, why we need to critically reflect on its unintended consequences and how we can ensure emerging technologies like AI remain grounded in diverse human perspectives and ethical design practices.

We discuss dark patterns, persuasive technologies, social media, circular economy opportunities and the importance of designing not just for users, but for communities and society more broadly.

As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Connect with Martin via LinkedIn and the UTS website.

Connect with me via email: [email protected]

Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn, Instagram or YouTube.

The Smart Community Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

Public transport is often seen as infrastructure. But what if it’s actually one of our most powerful tools for building connected, equitable and thriving communities?

In this episode, Zoe Eather is joined by Lauren Streifer, Chief Executive of the Public Transport Association for Australia and New Zealand, to explore the evolving role of public transport in shaping better cities.

Lauren shares her journey into the sector and unpacks what it really takes to make public transport the easy and desirable choice, from reliability and frequency to customer experience, branding and technology.

They also discuss the shift towards more people-focused cities, the role of public transport in addressing climate and equity challenges, and why improving access can have a profound impact on health and social connection.

This podcast is recorded on the traditional lands of the Kabi Kabi peoples and edited on the lands of the Gaibal peoples. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening today

We’re kicking off a new monthly “Future Of” series on the Smart Community Podcast, exploring what’s changing across industries and what it means for our communities.

In this episode, Zoe Eather is joined by Colin Kinner to explore the future of startups.

They unpack what defines a startup, how Australia’s startup ecosystem has evolved and how AI is lowering the barriers to building and scaling new ideas. Tools like Replit and Lovable are enabling non-technical founders to create products faster than ever before.

But as access increases, so do the challenges.

From AI slop and data privacy risks to the changing nature of work, this conversation explores both the opportunities and the tensions shaping the startup landscape.

They also connect startups back to smart communities, highlighting their role in economic diversification and building more resilient regions.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work and record this podcast and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Hi #SmartCommunity friends, in this episode I'm coming to you from the road at Adelaide Fringe Festival where I'm performing my comedy show (a story for another day!). I wanted to jump on and let you know that we've finished this series for my PhD research into data storytelling, and share what's coming next.

In this update I tell you about the next phase of my PhD (thematic analysis and writing papers on the insights from these interviews), plus a new research partnership with a NSW council, and what to expect on The Smart Community podcast for 2026.

Thank you so much for coming along on this journey with me. I hope you've enjoyed these interviews and as always, we hope you enjoyed listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Connect with me via email: [email protected]

Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn or Twitter and watch on YouTube

Podcast Production by Perk Digital
This podcast is recorded on the traditional lands of the  Kabi Kabi peoples and edited on the lands of the Gaibal peoples.   I pay my respects to traditional owners of country and their elders past and present. I also extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening today.  Here on the Smart Community Podcast, we talk about data, technology, communities and the future. First Nations peoples have been sharing knowledge, caring for country, and telling stories for tens of thousands of years.  I honour that deep connection of storytelling and community connection as we continue our conversation together here today.

Hi #SmartCommunity friends, in this episode of the Smart Community podcast I have a fantastic chat with Melanie Thewlis. Melanie is a Full Stack Engineer at Sitemate. At the time of the recording Melanie was Front End Developer at City of Melbourne on the City Data Experience team, specialising in interactive data visualisations in the browser, with 15 years of experience in the space.

In this episode Melanie tells us about the City DNA platform, a giant 3D printed model of Melbourne where different data scenarios can be projected onto the map. We discuss the stormwater gamification project that transformed tense flood conversations into empowering community experiences, including how playing the ‘maintenance crew game’ built trust with concerned residents. 

We talk about mapping Aboriginal Melbourne with traditional owners and designing engagement websites for major projects like the Greenline and Royal Park Master Plan.

We finish our chat discussing the power of embodied data through examples like climate scarves and Georgia Lupi's Long COVID diary, encouraging creative and playful ways to explore data beyond Excel. As always, we hope you enjoyed listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Connect with me via email: [email protected]

Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn or Twitter and watch on YouTube

Podcast Production by Perk Digital
This podcast is recorded on the traditional lands of the  Kabi Kabi peoples and edited on the lands of the Gaibal peoples.   I pay my respects to traditional owners of country and their elders past and present. I also extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening today.  Here on the Smart Community Podcast, we talk about data, technology, communities and the future. First Nations peoples have been sharing knowledge, caring for country, and telling stories for tens of thousands of years.  I honour that deep connection of storytelling and community connection as we continue our conversation together here today.
Podcast Production by Perk Digital

Hi #SmartCommunity friends, in this episode of the Smart Community podcast I have an enlightening conversation with Michael Whereat. Michael is the Smart Cities Lead for Sunshine Coast Council, in Queensland, where he helps staff and people across the region access data and information to make informed decisions.

In this episode Michael tells us about the problem statement methodology guiding all Smart Cities work at Sunshine Coast Council and evaluating projects through a rubric to deliver greatest organisational benefits. 

We discuss the Kings Beach playground renewal that used vibration sensors and WiFi counts to understand usage patterns, and the democratisation and publication of the data dashboards. 

We talk about edge processing for privacy protection, the data trailer with QR codes explaining data collection to community, and how technology reduces bias compared to staff counting.

We finish our chat discussing curiosity and listening for gaps in data not just what you see, but what's not there that should be. As always, we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Connect with me via email: [email protected]

Connect with My Smart Community via LinkedIn and watch on YouTube

Podcast Production by Perk Digital

This podcast is recorded on the traditional lands of the  Kabi Kabi peoples and edited on the lands of the Gaibal peoples.   I pay my respects to traditional owners of country and their elders past and present. I also extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples listening today.  Here on the Smart Community Podcast, we talk about data, technology, communities and the future. First Nations peoples have been sharing knowledge, caring for country, and telling stories for tens of thousands of years.  I honour that deep connection of storytelling and community connection as we continue our conversation together here today.

Disclaimer

The views, opinions, and perspectives expressed by guests on The Smart Community Podcast are solely those of the individual speakers. They do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of the host, Zoe Eather, or of The Smart Community Podcast as a whole.

Any discussion of ideas, products, organisations, or services by podcast guests does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the host or the podcast. Listeners are encouraged to form their own opinions and seek professional advice where appropriate.