GovCC 2026 Day 1: Wednesday, 18 March 2026
GovCC Day 1 Agenda Program
8:40 am - 8:45 am
Event Director’s Opening Remarks
8:45 am - 8:55 am
Chair’s Opening remarks
Matt Hou -
Customer Engagement Team Manager - Digital Health Solutions,
Western Sydney Local Health District
Matt Hou
Customer Engagement Team Manager - Digital Health SolutionsWestern Sydney Local Health District
8:50 am - 9:20 am
Keynote Panel | The CX Tipping Point: What 2026 (and Beyond) Demands from Contact Centres
Patrick Lloyd -
Director R.I.S.E Business Strategy & Transformation - Frontline Operations,
ATO
Matthew Wormald - Chief Superintendent, Commander Operational Communications, Fire and Rescue NSW
Wes Self - Chief Operating Officer, GMHBA
Customer expectations, workforce dynamics, and technology adoption are all reaching a tipping point. This panel brings together senior leaders to explore what the next phase of customer contact looks like and how organisations can prepare now for what’s coming in 2026 and beyond. Customer expectations, workforce dynamics, and technology adoption are all reaching a tipping point. This panel brings together senior leaders to explore what the next phase of customer contact looks like and how organisations can prepare now for what’s coming in 2026 and beyond.
Patrick Lloyd
Director R.I.S.E Business Strategy & Transformation - Frontline OperationsATO
Matthew Wormald
Chief Superintendent, Commander Operational CommunicationsFire and Rescue NSW
9:20 am - 9:50 am
Partner Keynote | Accelerating the AI Advantage
As AI becomes central to contact centre strategy, this session explores how to deploy it effectively - balancing automation with human insight to unlock speed, scale, and service quality. As AI becomes central to contact centre strategy, this session explores how to deploy it effectively - balancing automation with human insight to unlock speed, scale, and service quality.
9:50 am - 10:20 am
Panel Discussion | The Executive Playbook: Balancing Growth, Technology and People in 2026
10:20 am - 10:40 am
Keynote | Fixing the Foundations: Getting the Fundamentals Right Before You Invest in AI
Celebrity Masterclass
10:40 am - 11:25 am
IN CONVERSATION WITH ADAM GILCHRIST: Mastering the Game of Leadership and Performance
Adam Gilchrist -
Leadership Keynote,
Cricket Australia
11:25 am - 12:00 pm
Morning Break
Interactive Discussion Groups
IDG A
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG A | Agentic AI in ActionIDG B
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG B | Reimagining Workforce EnablementIDG C
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG C | Modernising the Contact Centre StackIDG D
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG D | Proactive, Predictive, PersonalisedIDG E
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG E | AI Governance, Ethics, & TransparencyIDG F
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG F | Digital Identity & Consent ManagementIDG G
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG G | Measuring What Matters: KPIs Challenged, Disrupted, and ReimaginedIDG H
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm IDG H | Government Service Equity & Accessibility by Design
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Lunch Break
The Future Contact Centre: Data, Tech and People that Deliver
2:30 pm - 2:50 pm
Spotlight Session - TAC's Contact Centre Transformation – AI Adoption Story
Sophie Uldrich -
Senior Manager of Customer Services,
Transport Accident Commission
2:50 pm - 3:20 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION | Humans + Machines: Smarter Service Through AI
Nandita Sharma -
Director, Ai Standards (Commonwealth),
Digital Transformation Agency
Chirag Lodhia - Director, Digital Health Training & Adoption Digital Pathology Contact Centre, Monash Health
Catherine Veronesi - Executive Manager Service Experience, City of Sydney
Peter Jackowski - Head of Delivery - Consumer Energy Solutions, SEC Victoria
Discover how AI is enhancing, not replacing, the human touch in contact centres. This session will showcase real-world examples of generative AI supporting agents in real time, enabling faster triage of complex issues, and streamlining workflows to create more efficient and personalised service experiences. Discover how AI is enhancing, not replacing, the human touch in contact centres. This session will showcase real-world examples of generative AI supporting agents in real time, enabling faster triage of complex issues, and streamlining workflows to create more efficient and personalised service experiences.
Chirag Lodhia
Director, Digital Health Training & Adoption Digital Pathology Contact CentreMonash Health
3:20 pm - 3:50 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION | From Dashboards to Decisions: Making Contact Centre Data Actually Useful
Nandita Sharma -
Director, Ai Standards (Commonwealth),
Digital Transformation Agency
Ben Thompson - Community, Culture and Customer Experience Director, Waverley Council
Renae Patterson - Acting Director Customer Service, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Data alone doesn’t solve problems — it’s how you use it that makes the difference. This panel brings together leaders who are moving beyond dashboards to make smarter, faster decisions in the contact centre. They’ll explore how predictive analytics can transform demand planning, helping teams stay ahead of spikes and service pressures. The conversation will also highlight how CX data can shape service policy and improve citizen outcomes. And because timing is everything, the panel will debate when to lean on real-time insights versus the deeper lessons found in historic data. Data alone doesn’t solve problems — it’s how you use it that makes the difference. This panel brings together leaders who are moving beyond dashboards to make smarter, faster decisions in the contact centre. They’ll explore how predictive analytics can transform demand planning, helping teams stay ahead of spikes and service pressures. The conversation will also highlight how CX data can shape service policy and improve citizen outcomes. And because timing is everything, the panel will debate when to lean on real-time insights versus the deeper lessons found in historic data.
Renae Patterson
Acting Director Customer ServiceDepartment of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
3:50 pm - 4:10 pm
Getting Ready for Digital Verifiable Credentials in Contact Centres
This session walks through the essentials of digital verifiable credentials, how they function, and what they mean for government service delivery and the people you support. Brian will also share early lessons from Service NSW pilot work to help your teams plan for what’s coming.
4:10 pm - 4:40 pm
Afternoon Break
Resilient by Design: Real-World Stories of Service Continuity
4:40 pm - 5:10 pm
PANEL DISCUSSION | Inclusive Service Design: Putting Citizens at the Centre
Catherine Veronesi -
Executive Manager Service Experience,
City of Sydney
Renae Patterson - Acting Director Customer Service, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Government contact centres serve a diverse population, but meeting the needs of all citizens requires more than standard processes. This panel explores how agencies can design services that are accessible, equitable, and responsive to everyone, including vulnerable and underserved communities.
Renae Patterson
Acting Director Customer ServiceDepartment of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
5:10 pm - 5:40 pm
Panel Discussion | The Workforce Revolution: Building and Leading Teams for the Next Decade
A look at how organisations are rethinking talent, skills, culture, and leadership to create resilient, engaged, and future-ready teams.
Key Takeaway - Understand how forward-looking leadership and strategic workforce planning can drive long-term organisational success.
5:40 pm - 6:40 pm
The Winner’s Circle Awards & Party
Celebrate, connect, and let loose at CCW after hours!
Raise a glass to industry excellence, cheer on the winners, and dance alongside the brightest minds in CX. It’s your moment to celebrate success - yours and the industry’s - in true CCW style.
