Across both the LGNSW Annual Conference 2025 and the Digital NSW Showcase 2025, which FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia was a co-sponsor alongside our partner Nintex, one theme stood out: councils and state agencies are accelerating their shift toward more connected, community-centered services. While each event had a different focus, the discussions shared a common thread: leaders want practical, secure and scalable ways to modernise their operations without adding unnecessary complexity.

For FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia, this closely aligns with what we see daily across the sector. Whether it is strengthening compliance, improving cash flow, or joining up information across offices, depots and service centres, organisations seem to be looking for improvements that make a measurable difference for their teams and communities.

LGNSW 2025 brought together mayors, councillors, general managers and senior staff from more than 100 councils across NSW. Several conversations centred on the pressure to deliver more with fewer resources, particularly as population growth, regulatory obligations and ageing infrastructure place new demands on councils.

We observed the following three themes:

1. The Need for Operational Simplicity
Councils described rising administrative effort across forms, approvals, and service requests. With teams stretched thin, there appears to be growing interest across councils in removing repetitive manual tasks and giving staff more time to focus on community priorities.

2. Trust, Compliance and Risk Control Remain Critical
Discussions highlighted the importance of secure records management, digitisation and reliable information governance. Many councils are looking for practical ways to modernise their systems while meeting local legislative frameworks — particularly around data protection and auditability.

3. Connecting Dispersed Teams and Community Facilities
Several attendees spoke about the challenge of unifying operations across offices, libraries, depots and community hubs. We saw the need for integrated information and clearer workflows was a recurring message, especially with councils considering long-term digital roadmaps.

At Digital NSW 2025, agency leaders emphasised the importance of connected, secure digital services that support better outcome for frontline staff and service delivery. The conversations seemed to reflect a broader public sector shift toward:

1. More Consistent, User-Centered Service Delivery
Agencies highlighted the need to streamline processes so that information can move cleanly between departments. Many noted that legacy systems and manual steps still create friction, wanting simpler, more seamless staff and user experiences.

2. Stronger Cybersecurity and Data Governance
With cyber risk, changing regulations and public scrutiny, agencies are looking to prioritise uplift in data governance, auditability and secure records practices. We observed a clear shift toward building resilience into everyday operations to ensure continuity under pressure.

3. Practical Automation and AI Uplift
Leaders are seeking targeted automation that reduces delays and improves data accuracy. It appeared interest in low-code tools and structured AI adoption is continuing to grow — focused on supporting teams, improving decision-making and connecting otherwise siloed processes.

Across both events, we heard a clear appetite for solutions that are:

. Practical — focused on real operational pain points
. Secure — built on strong governance, compliance and risk frameworks
. Scalable — compatible with diverse systems, budgets and team structures
. Connected — bring together information across facilities, departments and workflows

These themes align closely with FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia’s public sector approach, which focuses on helping councils and agencies build smarter digital ecosystems that aim to reduce administrative pressure and improve service outcomes.

We continue to see growing interest in areas such as records digitisation, accounts payable automation, community services workflows, asset management approvals and data-driven insights. Councils and agencies are increasingly looking for staged, achievable pathways that modernise key processes without disrupting day-to-day operations.

While each organisation may be at a different point in its digital journey, the direction organisations are heading towards is clear: smarter workflows, better data, and more connected services will shape the next era of local and state government.
 

Both LGNSW 2025 and Digital NSW 2025 confirmed that the shift toward modern, community focused public services is accelerating. We observed councils and agencies wanting solutions that support transparency, strengthen compliance, and give teams more capacity to focus on the work that matters for their communities.

At FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia, we remain committed to supporting this progress — partnering with local and state government agencies with the view to build practical, secure and scalable ways of working.

If you’d like to learn more about our government solutions, visit our website or book a discovery call with us here.