Civic Punks

Derek Alton

This is my experiment in creating interesting podcasts about public sector innovation. Disclaimer: All opinions on this channel are my own opinions or the personal opinions of those who I interview.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Ukraine and Agentic AI: A Glimpse of the Future of Government

    We might be starting to see the future of government take shape… and I’m not sure we’re ready for it. In this video, I unpack Ukraine’s latest roadmap on the Agentic State — one of the first real attempts to move from theory to practice when it comes to AI in government. This builds directly on my recent conversation with Manuel Kilian, where we explored the idea of the Agentic State. But this time, the question is different: 👉 What does this actually look like when a government tries to build it? We get into: What the Agentic State actually is The three types of agents Ukraine is building (public-facing, internal, compliance) The underlying architecture — shared infrastructure, orchestration, and data layers Why this is about more than just AI tools — it’s a shift in how government operates And some of the big, uncomfortable questions this raises for public servants I’ve been sitting with this one for a bit. There’s something real here — but also a lot we don’t fully understand yet. 🔗 Related Videos ▶️ My interview with Manuel Kilian on the Agentic State: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSg96u2aDUc ▶️ Explaining “Rules as Code” (and why it matters): https://www.instagram.com/p/DWvshluEhjB/ 🧠 Why this matters This isn’t just about technology. It’s about what happens when AI becomes part of how government actually runs — how decisions get made, how services are delivered, and where accountability sits. If you’re a public servant (or care about how government works), this is a conversation worth paying attention to. 👋 About Civic Punks I make videos exploring how government works — and how it could work better. If you’re into public sector innovation, digital government, or just trying to make sense of where things are going… 👉 consider subscribing and following along 🗣️ Let me know what you think Are we actually ready for something like this? Or does this still feel a bit too far off?

    5 min

  2. 4 DAYS AGO

    It Feels Like We’ve Lost a Step… What Happened?

    Last week I was in Melbourne for the Public Sector Network Government Innovation Week. I’ve got a full series linked below from the trip, so check those out if you want the full picture. But there’s one idea in particular that’s been stuck in my head ever since. After the conference, I broke out of the usual crowd and spent an evening with a small, eclectic group of civic punks. Less stage, more conversation. Less polished, more real. We dug into what a more local, grassroots approach to government could actually look like. Then I hopped over to Wellington for a packed couple of days. But here’s the thing I can’t shake: It feels like we’ve lost a step since the pandemic. The people who carried the civic punk movement for the last decade are tired. Some are burning out. And the next generation isn’t quite plugging in the way you’d expect. So we’re in this strange in-between moment. An interregnum. The old energy that powered the movement has faded… but the new energy hasn’t fully formed yet. Which raises a bigger question: What comes next for civic punks—and for the future of government? Government Innovation Week Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGbB6ETwppLppBLlMQNSedbBEy9sMqHVk

    6 min

  3. 5 DAYS AGO

    Carving a middle path on AI

    I finally had a chance to sit down and process last week’s Public Sector Network Government Innovation Week in Melbourne… and there’s a lot that’s still rattling around in my head. From Minister Danny Pearson’s take on the “middle path” for AI, to the growing sense that Agentic AI is about to change the game (for better and worse), this week felt like a glimpse into where government is heading next. So I pulled together a quick post-game reflection to make sense of it all — what stood out, what matters, and what I’ll be watching closely from here. If you care about where government + tech is going, this one’s worth a watch.

    9 min

  4. 6 DAYS AGO

    From Dystopia to Utopia - A conversation with Amber Guette

    I recently had the chance to spend a couple of days with one of my favourite Civic Punks, the author and public servant Amber Guette in Wellington, New Zealand. We talked about what public service means to her and what inspired her to write her well-known book: Dear Minister - Letters From a Public Servant. She also gave a sneak peek into her next book that she is currently writing. You can learn more about the book here: https://www.dearminister.net/

    18 min

  5. 2 APR

    Agentic AI Is Coming… Are Governments Ready?

    Have you heard about Agentic AI? If not, you will, it is shaping to be the next major frontier for AI. What is it? How can we be ready for it? These are the questions I posted to Manuel Kilian, the author of the highly influential white paper: The Agentic State. Read it here: https://agenticstate.org/

    10 min

  6. 27 MAR

    Brenton's Favourite Book

    For this week's Rent Free, I sat down with Brenton Caffin, the founder of States of Change, to learn more about the book that has most shaped his thinking. He chose "Reimagining Organizations" by Frederic Laloux and shared how he has worked to apply its principles in both States of Change and Government.

    6 min

  7. 25 MAR

    When a Government Hired the World’s Smartest People… It Worked

    I’m on a bit of a mission right now: find government projects that actually worked. Not theory but Real impact. And in Adelaide, I think I found one. The Thinkers in Residence program did something pretty unusual… it brought in some of the world’s leading thinkers to work directly with government and help tackle big challenges. I sat down with Brenton Caffin, who saw it up close, to dig into what made it work (and what didn’t). Honestly, this is one of those ideas that sticks with you.

    8 min

  8. 25 MAR

    The Hidden Trap Behind Cutting the Public Service

    Right now, it feels like we are in a moment focused on austerity. Governments everywhere are cutting their workforce, but is there a danger with this? Nick Scott thinks so. In his recent article, "Why Budget Cuts Without Resource Reallocation Rarely Transforms Systems" he argues that when cuts are rushed or made across the board we end up not with more efficient government but with crappy government. But he also has a solution, invest in reforming the pipes of government. Read the full article here: https://www.shiftflow.ca/ideas/budget-cuts-rarely-transform-systems

    3 min
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About

This is my experiment in creating interesting podcasts about public sector innovation. Disclaimer: All opinions on this channel are my own opinions or the personal opinions of those who I interview.

Information

  • Creator
    Derek Alton
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Civic Punks