The Local Government Symposium (LGA Symposium) returned in 2026, bringing together local government representatives, industry leaders and asset management professionals to continue conversations around the connection between design, construction and operations.
Throughout the morning, speakers explored how councils can strengthen the connection between planning, delivery and long-term operations, sharing practical perspectives on operational readiness, asset intelligence, digital asset capture and lifecycle thinking.
Representatives from local councils joined Programmed and industry partners for a morning of presentations, discussion and networking focused on the future of local government asset management.
The speaker program featured Colonel (Retd) Mark Dixon, CEO of Melbourne Legacy; Mark Simmons, Director at Specialised Management Group; Trent Taylor, Founder and Managing Director of Kairos Strategies; and Nick Tan, Service Delivery Manager and Chief Remote Pilot at Programmed, bringing perspectives across community outcomes, operational readiness, asset intelligence and digital approaches supporting local government.
See how the day unfolded below.
Exploring smarter approaches across the asset lifecycle
Discussions throughout the Symposium focused on how councils can unlock greater value across the full asset lifecycle, from project planning and construction through to operations and long-term maintenance.
Topics included operational readiness, lifecycle planning, maintainability, asset handovers and preparing operational teams earlier in project delivery, reinforcing the importance of considering how assets will perform well beyond completion.
Sessions also explored the importance of reliable asset information and approaches that support stronger planning, maintenance and long-term decision-making. The conversation highlighted how asset intelligence and data quality continue to play an important role in supporting effective asset management outcomes.
Alongside infrastructure and operational discussions, the event also reflected on broader community outcomes and the value of long-term support networks and partnerships.
Digital approaches supporting better asset visibility
Digital asset capture formed another key focus area across the event, with examples demonstrating how technologies such as drone inspections, thermal imagery, 360° walkthroughs and GIS-enabled tools can support improved asset visibility and decision-making.
Discussions explored how these approaches may help improve reporting efficiency, provide stronger visual context and support asset management activities across community environments.
Continuing the conversation
The event concluded with networking opportunities between council representatives, industry partners and Programmed teams, creating space to continue conversations around lifecycle thinking, operational delivery and the future of local government asset management.
The Local Government Symposium continues to bring together industry perspectives, shared challenges and practical insights, supporting stronger collaboration across the local government sector.
As Programmed marks 75 years of supporting customers and communities, the Symposium reflects our ongoing commitment to sharing knowledge, building partnerships and contributing to stronger outcomes across local government.
