Share

Advancing AI Innovation in Local Government

Exploring Responsible AI Approaches in the Planning Process to Accelerate Housing Delivery

The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and Greater Dandenong City Council are collaborating on the delivery of a Local Government Housing Innovation Program with the support of a grant from the Commonwealth Housing Support Program. The objective of this program is to deliver resources for Councils to help accelerate new housing supply through the delivery of four planning related projects, working alongside specialists and the local government sector.

The Commonwealth Housing Support Program is a federal government initiative to help achieve the National Housing Accord target of building 1.2 million new, well-located homes over 5 years. The Australian Government’s Housing Support Program is one of a range of programs designed to help achieve the National Housing Accord target of building 1.2 million new, well-located homes over 5 years from 1 July 2024.

MAVlab is leading the Advancing AI Innovation in Local Government (AAII) project to build an evidence base for guidance and recommendations for interventions into the use and procurement of AI and automated decision-making tools for use in statutory planning in councils.

This ground-breaking project is an opportunity to build collaboration among Victorian councils and create an ecosystem of leading practitioners with expertise in statutory planning, AI, data and automation, regulation, and technology ethics.

This work will provide leading insight and recommendations to the sector and inform the establishment of a procurement panel for AI suppliers with products and services relevant to the statutory planning process.

The rapid advancements in automated decision making and current hype cycle of AI makes this a highly topical exploration with strong and varied opinions being voiced by the sector. As such, MAVlab is leading an approach that prioritizes engagement. We will be leveraging a broad range of sector expertise, working in close collaboration with our partners at the City of Greater Dandenong, the Planning Institute of Australia and a range of academic and industry collaborators.

This project represents a first-of-its-kind exploration of how responsible AI can enhance local government planning while accelerating housing delivery across Victoria.

This initiative aims to identify opportunities and intervention points for the appropriate application of AI technologies within the planning process in order to aid efficiencies and create more space for planning professionals to apply their expertise where it matters most.

Our approach prioritiszes responsible innovation that augments rather than replaces human judgment, ensuring technology serves as a tool for enhancing planning outcomes.

Key Objectives:

Through this project we aim to:

  • Develop evidence-based frameworks for responsible AI adoption in planning processes
  • Create robust procurement guidelines that prioritise council and community needs
  • Support council capability development in the use of advanced technologies and AI
  • Establish standards for ethical AI use in local government planning
  • Support faster, more efficient housing delivery while maintaining planning quality.

At the completion of this project, the MAV will have established a new procurement panel that will enable local government to source from a group of suppliers providing products and services in AI that supports that planning process.

Project Timeline and Engagement

The AAII Project runs from December 2024 to July 2025, offering multiple opportunities for stakeholder participation.

Early expressions of interest are now open for councils wanting to contribute to this transformative project.

If you would like to get involved or find out more, get in touch via the MAVlab email.

Through out the project we will be engaging with:

  • Victorian councils interested in innovative planning solutions
  • Technology vendors developing planning-focused AI tools
  • Industry experts in planning, AI, and automation
  • Academic partners and sector stakeholders.

Connect

Subscribe to MAVlab newsletter for updates:

Subscribe to MAVlab Updates

Get in touch via MAVlab@mav.asn.au.