Civic Punks
Derek Alton hosts a podcast exploring innovation in the public sector. Through interviews and personal commentary, he discusses ideas and experiments aimed at improving government services. The show includes a disclaimer that opinions expressed are his own and those of his guests.
Episodes
The Anti-Cambridge Analytica
How does a massive, complex institution like the NHS respond to a crisis? It turns out that some of the most important work happens outside the formal structures—in informal networks, personal relationships, and even WhatsApp groups.
In this episode, I sit down with Diarmaid Crean, who served as a senior technology leader in the UK's National Health Service (NHS) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Comi
Finding Your People: Henry Grunzweig on the State Capacity Ecosystem
Who’s working to make government better, and how do we help them find each other?
In this episode of Civic Punks, I sit down with Henry Grunzweig to explore the State Capacity Ecosystem, a project mapping the people and organizations working to improve government’s ability to deliver across the US.
We start with Henry’s own story: what drew him into this work and what inspired him to begin mapping
You Might Get Fired - A Conversation with Iain Montgomery
What does it actually take to innovate inside institutions that aren’t always designed for experimentation?
Iain Montgomery has become one of the voices I keep coming back to when I’m thinking about innovation, government, and what it means to genuinely challenge the status quo. After following and referencing his work for a while, I finally got to meet him at FWD50—and we sat down for this conver
Why Is Government So Bad at Working With Startups with Kateryna Frolova
I recorded this conversation with Kateryna Frolova, Head of the Global Government Technology Centre Kyiv, on my first morning in Ukraine, after a night of Russian bombing. We were both running on a little less sleep than we would have liked.
But the conversation we had gets at a problem that reaches far beyond Ukraine.
Governments everywhere love talking about supporting startups, entrepreneurs an
Ukraine’s AI Playbook: Sovereignty, Agents and the Future of Government
Ukraine has become one of the most interesting governments in the world to watch when it comes to AI.
In this episode of Civic Punks, I sit down with Roman Kyslyi, Chief AI Officer at Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, to dig into where Ukraine is going next.
We get deep into AI sovereignty, a topic Roman has been thinking about for years. What does it actually mean for a country to be
Why Kyiv Works: A Debrief with Denys Nazarenko
Last week, I shared my conversation with Victoria Itskovych, CIO for the City of Kyiv, about how Kyiv has continued to build and adapt under some pretty extraordinary circumstances.
Six Weeks Under Siege
Denys Nazarenko helped make that conversation happen. He’s a senior advisor to Victoria, and after we finished the interview, Denys and I wandered down to a nearby park to debrief.
What followed
Six Weeks Under Siege: Kyiv’s CIO on Keeping the City Running
I started the European leg of this journey in Ukraine—a war zone, which is kind of a mad thing to do.
I went to Ukraine because I think they are the most interesting case of government transformation in the world right now. Case in point, my first conversation.
Victoria Iskovich, CIO and Director of IT for the City of Kyiv, takes us inside the first six weeks of Russia’s invasion. She shares how h
Backing Civic Punks Before It Had a Name — Olivia Dorey on Kindred, Ambassadorship & Building a Movement
Olivia Dorey has been supporting Civic Punks since before Civic Punks had a name.
So it feels pretty special to finally sit down with her — and to announce The Kindred Agency as our first sponsor.
In this conversation, we get into Olivia’s story: how she became a Civic Punk, why she started The Kindred Agency, and what she has learned about building a company around work you actually care about.
T
Chika Masuda on Japan’s Digital Agency, Christian Bason, and Finding Your Way Into Government
Tokyo was already special. Getting to spend time with Chika Masuda made it even better.
Chika is Head of Intelligence Research at Japan’s Digital Agency, and one of those rare public servants who seems to connect people, ideas, and institutions with real care. In this conversation, we talk about her journey into government, what she has learned from working inside the system, and why relationships
The Local Government Everyone Is Asking About
What does it look like when a city council takes both AI and community engagement seriously — without making either feel like a corporate strategy exercise?
In this episode, I talk with Jared Griffith, a senior leader at Hutt City Council in Greater Wellington, New Zealand. This conversation follows a chat Jared and I had when I was in Wellington a few months ago, where I became really intrigued b
Europe Tour Begins: Kyiv, AI, and the Future of Government
Leg two of the Civic Punks World Tour is here.
I’m heading to Europe — with stops in Kyiv, London, Berlin, Tallinn, Helsinki, Copenhagen, and Tbilisi — to look for the people, places, and ideas shaping the future of government.
The heart of the trip is Kyiv. Ukraine feels like one of the most important places in the world to understand democracy, resilience, digital government, trust, and public s
AI, Sovereignty, and the Future of Public Service
Governments around the world are trying to make sense of AI in real time. Some are experimenting, some are regulating, some are cautiously poking it with a stick from a safe distance.
In this episode, our global government innovation panel compares what we are seeing across different countries and systems. We talk about how AI is changing public sector innovation, why digital sovereignty is becomi
Where Civic Punks Goes From Here
Civic Punks is starting to come into focus.
In this short solo update, I’m back at Queen’s Park — where I filmed the original launch video — to share where the project is going next.
Over the last few months, I’ve been travelling across East Asia and the Pacific, meeting people, recording conversations, going to events, and trying to understand what the future of government looks like from the gro
Reclaiming Imagination in Government with Sir Geoff Mulgan
In this episode of the Future Government series, I sit down with Sir Geoff Mulgan, one of the people whose work has deeply shaped the field of public sector innovation — and, personally, someone I remember studying back in grad school.
So this was a bit of a special one.
We talk about why governments need to get much better at using intelligence, how history can help us make sense of the
What If Government Loved You? with Thea Snow
Thea Snow is one of those people I love talking to because I always leave our conversation feeling a little more grounded and wise.
At the time of this recording, Thea was Director at the Centre for Public Impact for Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. She has since stepped back from that role and is taking time to enjoy life, reflect, and explore what comes next.
In this conversation, we cover a
Lines, Loops, Vibes: Suhit Anantula on How Government Finds Its Rhythm
What if one of the problems in government is that we keep using the wrong pattern for the work in front of us?
In this conversation, I sit down with Suhit Anantula to explore his framework of Lines, Loops, and Vibes. Vibes are about instinct, intuition, and sensing what is emerging. Loops are about iteration, experimentation, feedback, and learning by doing. Lines are about structure, process, and
When Innovation Stops Changing Things
Public sector innovation was supposed to help government change.
But what happens when innovation becomes part of the system it was meant to challenge?
In this conversation, I sit down with Nicholas Gruen, a longtime voice in public sector innovation, to talk about why the field may have lost some of its edge. We get into perpetual pilots, reform work that never quite lands, and the strange way in
What Comes After Human-Centred Design?
Roger Watson has been one of the leading voices shaping the practice of design in government in Australia — as a practitioner, teacher, author, and long-time champion of better public services.
I sat down with Roger in Sydney to talk about how he found his way into this work, the personal experiences that shaped his interest in government design, and why he believes the field needs to evolve.
We a
Michael Baskin on AI, Tools, and Doing Your Best Work
There’s a lot of pressure right now to be more efficient, more effective, and somehow keep up with a steady stream of new tools—especially AI. In this conversation, I sit down with Michael Baskin, Chief Innovation Officer for Montgomery County, to talk about how he actually approaches that challenge in his work and life.
This isn’t just a conversation about tools. It’s about process, judgment, and
Shannon Salter on Designing Government Around Life Events
Derek sits down with Shannon Salter, Head of the Public Service for the Government of British Columbia, to explore BC’s vision for redesigning government around life events instead of programs and departments. They talk about what that shift really means, how you make it real inside a large public system, and what it takes to work across silos and levels of government.
I participate therefore I am
This is part of a series I’m calling Rent Free. The idea is simple. I ask people about a concept that’s living rent-free in their head. Something that’s shaping how they see the world and how they show up in their work.
This time, I sat down with my good friend, and someone who consistently inspires me, Almero Oosthuizen. For Almero, what is living rent-free is the quote: “I participate, therefo
Government is doing this wrong
I think we’re still designing policy for a world that doesn’t exist anymore.
Last week I was in Canberra for the OpenFisca and Policy Innovation Conference, right after Government Innovation Week in Melbourne. Two very different conferences… and honestly, it felt like they were talking about two completely different realities.
At OpenFisca, the conversation went deeper. Less about “what’s new”
What Happens When Urgency Meets Bureaucracy
There’s a tension at the heart of government that we don’t talk about enough.
On the front lines, everything feels urgent. You’re dealing with real people, real problems, right now. You see what’s broken. You feel the pressure to act.
Then there’s the center. The place where resources sit. Where decisions get made. Where the stakes are bigger, the scale is wider… but the urgency isn’t always there
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 tim
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
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 n
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
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/
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.
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
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 governme
3 Thoughts From Australia
Darwin, Adelaide and Sydney are now in the books. Lots of great conversations with super-inspiring Civic Punks. What is sitting with me? Temples, Cuts and Farmer! What does that mean? You will need to watch to find out.
Can Victoria Actually Deliver on Government Innovation?
Victoria is at a turning point. Before Government Innovation Week begins, here’s what actually matters: the forces shaping the agenda and what to watch for. Featuring Ross Ashman (PSN Co-Founder) on why this moment matters.
Pia Andrew's Top 3 Recommendations
Pia Andrews is one of my all-time favourite Civic Punks, so I jumped at the chance to sit down with her and hear what 3 articles have most shaped her thinking:
Death Sentence by Don Watson: https://www.penguin.com.au/books/death-sentence-9780143790983
Tim O'Reilly - Government as a Platform: https://shorturl.at/A8zxG
Fixing Innovation
Gian Durán shares a key insight from his PhD research in this week's Now You Know. He argues that we are not using the term innovation properly. When we say innovation, we mean one of three things: Rennovation, Innovation or Transformation.
You can read his full article here: https://futuregovforum.substack.com/p/change-is-plural-and-that-should
The housing theory of everything
In another episode of Rent Free—the series where I ask people which ideas live rent free in their heads—I sit down with Charles Mcivor to talk about the article that has most shaped his thinking: “The Housing Theory of Everything.”
Written by John Myers, Sam Bowman, and Ben Southwood, the piece explores how housing affordability quietly shapes everything from economic growth to inequality to polit
Navigating Tensions
Government today is full of tensions. Move fast… but protect democratic accountability. Experiment with new ideas… but keep critical systems stable. Use powerful new technologies… that we don’t fully understand yet.
In a fascinating paper called “Signals from Apolitical Day,” the States of Change network looked for patterns emerging from conversations with public servants around the world. What
The Future of Government — A Conversation with Pia Andrews
What Singapore Taught Me About AI and the Future of Government
AI is dramatically challenging governments all over the world. Singapore is on the leading edge of this. How are they thinking about AI in Government? What can we learn from them?
I reference this fantastic podcast by Ezra Klein on AI, definitely check it out as well: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6obzprTBpR6MosWu5vsua5?si=44ede13d15054d71
Is Singapore right!?
I am finally starting to wrap my head around my time in Singapore. It was a week jam-packed full of conversations with people at the centre of reimaging government, and also those who are rebelling against government and building something different on the fringes.
There will be more to come, but here are my earliest thoughts.
Have we broken innovation?
Have we broken innovation? This is a question that Ian Montgomery explores in his killer article "The New Rules of Innovation." In it Ian explores how we have let innovation become swallowed up by the system and in the process, have it lose its transformational potential. Join me as I go down the rabbit hole with this banger of a Montgomery article.
Here is the link if you want to read it yourse
Can we fix hiring?
Hiring is one of the things government seems to suck at. It takes way too long, the salaries are often not competitive, and job descriptions are confusing and not helpful. Yet, if we can't hire well, we are unable to bring in the talent we need to deliver on our ambition, or really anything. In this video, I explore a book chapter by Robert Gordon, Executive Vice President for State Initiatives, e
What did we learn from PSN Government Innovation Week - Federal
Another Public Sector Network - Government Innovation Week is in the books. What did we learn? How is digital sovereignty shaping the conversation? We are going through some of the deepest cuts to public sector jobs in well over a decade. AI was all over the agenda but how did the conversations play out?
In this episode I explore these questions through interviews with people on the ground in da
The power of data analysis
I recently came across Rebecca Mbaya’s African Innovators series, which spotlights changemakers reshaping Africa’s tech, data, and AI landscape. It’s thoughtful, grounded, and well worth your time. In this video, I zoom in on her profile of Pombili Paula Haitamba, a data analyst from Namibia. It’s genuinely one of the best pieces I’ve read on what data analysis actually means in practice, not just
Civic Punks Launch
Hi everyone, what an amazing evening to launch the dream that is Civic Punks. My friend Mike was kind enough to record the speech I gave, and I wanted to share it here. Thank you everyone who came to support this project!
Wiki Government Inspired Ryan
What idea has shaped your work for decades?
For Ryan Androsoff, it’s Wiki Government by Beth Noveck.
In this conversation, Ryan shares how that book continues to influence his thinking on digital government, collaboration, and reform in Canada.
Some ideas don’t just inspire you.
They rewire you.
Your New Best Friend
What if government were your new best friend? A companion who walked with you and made your life easier and better. Anticipating your needs and pointing you towards supports and opportunities, not to sell you things but to help you with your own goals.
Helping launch my new series - Now You Know, an exploration into the debates and ideas shaping the future of government - is the reflection from
What did we learn from PSN Digital Leadership Day - Federal
Public Sector Network’s Digital Leadership Day for the Government of Canada is officially in the books. So what happens when you put 100+ senior public servants and partners in a room and ask one deceptively simple question: What does digital leadership actually look like in Canada right now?
You get sharp debates. Honest reflections. A few uncomfortable truths. And, thankfully, a lot of practic
Have we become too digital?
This is the question Becky Miller asks in her blog series that made waves in the UK this fall. This is my short reflection on this series and why I think everyone should read it.
Don't take my word for it. Check out the series here: https://medium.com/ghs-government-human-service/introducing-ghs-780df7abd537
Civic Punks - Exploring the Future of Government
2024 was a global reckoning. Across countries and political divides, voters sent the same message: government isn’t working — and it needs to change.
But change to what?
In this launch episode of Civic Punks, Derek Alton explores one of the most important questions of our time: what does better government actually look like — and who is building it?
For 17 years, Derek has worked inside and alongs
What New Brunswick can teach the world - Insights from the floor of the Canadian Open Data and GovMaker Summit
There is so much exciting stuff happening in New Brunswick when it comes to public sector innovation!
In November I had the chance to attend the Canadian Open Data and GovMaker Summit in Fredericton and interview many of the attendees. This episode includes a collection of those interviews from the summit floor. It starts though with the pregame show I recorded with fellow Nerdy Gov Podcaster and
Government Innovation Week Ottawa - Pregame Show
Before the lights go up at Government Innovation Week, let’s talk about what actually matters.
In this pre-game show, I’m joined by Joy Chatwell from the Public Sector Network to pull back the curtain on how Government Innovation Week (Federal, Ottawa 2026) was designed, what themes are shaping the agenda, and why this moment feels significant for the Canadian public sector.
If you’re attending, t
Something Cool - UK GovCamp - The event that is reshaping the UK Public Service
What happens when you take away the agenda, the speakers, and the carefully curated programme—and just let public servants talk?
In this episode, I dive into UKGovCamp, one of the most unusual—and surprisingly effective—events in the world of public service. It’s an unconference: no preset sessions, no keynotes, and no guarantees, other than the fact that you’ll end up in thoughtful, sometimes mes
Welcome to Rethinking the Buy
Government spends more money than any other business or sector. It is one of the most powerful levers we have to tackle the great challenges of our time, to shape markets and improve communities. Yet it is broken. But it doesn't have to be. Join Lina Svensburg, Marcela Jabor and myself as we dig into the exciting world of procurement and the innovations that are transforming how government spends
🔍 What Enables Public Sector Innovation in Emerging Economies? with Tamara Zakharia
In this episode, I sit down with Tamara Zakharia to explore insights from her recent report from the UN on the enabling conditions for public sector innovation in emerging economies. We dive into her practical and thoughtful framework—covering everything from strategic direction and governance models to the internal and external enablers that help innovation take root and thrive. Whether you're wo
Travel Diaries Samarkand - Reflections in Registan Square with Caroline Star
For my final dispatch from Samarkand, I reunite with Caroline Star from the School of International Futures — this time in the breathtaking Registan Square. We reflect on a week full of inspiration, connection, and big ideas at the UN Public Service Forum. Caroline shares highlights from her foresight workshop, and we both take a moment to appreciate the powerful closing talk by Robyn Bennett that
Travel Diaries Samarkand - Innovation Labs in Action (Closing Reflections)
In this special dispatch from Samarkand, I’m joined by Almero Oosthuizen from the Western Cape Government (South Africa) and Alejandra Rodas Gaiter from the Innovation Lab for Bogotá (Colombia). Together, we reflect on our experience speaking at the closing plenary panel: Innovation Labs in Action. We dive into some big themes:
🧠 Shifting mindsets inside government
🌱 Moving from ego-centric to eco
Travel Diaries Samarkand - UN Public Service Forum Wrap-Up Reflections with Robyn Bennett
As we wrap up an incredible few days in Samarkand, I sit down with the brilliant Robyn Bennett, whose closing repertoire reflection was a highlight for many at the forum. In this conversation, Robyn shares the key themes, big ideas, and quiet moments that stood out — from innovation and inclusion to the unexpected connections that made this gathering so memorable. It’s a thoughtful close to a week
Something Cool - Reimaginning Employment in South Africa with Kate Philips
What happens when a country treats employment as a public good, not just a market outcome? In this episode of Something Cool—a CivicPunks series that spotlights bold thinkers reshaping the public sector—I sit down with Kate Phillip, Program Lead for South Africa's Presidential Employment Stimulus Program, one of the most ambitious public employment programs in the world. South Africa is facing a d
Travel Diaries Berlin - Systems Thinking, Trust & Transformation with Dr. Louis Klein
Another dispatch from the Creative Bureaucracy Festival—this time from the official podcast studio in Berlin! I sit down with Dr. Louis Klein, head of the International Federation for Systems Research, for a wide-ranging conversation that spans continents and big ideas. We talk about his work supporting education reform in Morocco, the growing breakdown of trust in public systems, and why systems
Travel Diaries Berlin - Reimagining Public Institutions with Mikko Annala
In this episode of Civic Punks at the Creative Bureaucracy Festival, I sit down in the festival's "official" podcast studio with Mikko Annala from Demos Helsinki. We discuss the bold work that Mikko and his team are doing to reimagine how institutions operate in the 21st century—from building new governance models to driving systems-level change. We dig into his partnership with Apolitical, The Tr
Travel Diaries Berlin - Three tensions shaping our future with Dr. Alex Ryan
In this episode from my time at the Creative Bureaucracy Festival, I sit down with Dr. Alex Ryan to unpack some of the key insights from the recent gathering of the States of Change Network. Alex shares three powerful tensions the group explored—tensions that could shape how we respond to the unravelling of key systems in our society. From the future of democracy to the role of institutions, this
Canada's Digital Decline Part 1 - An interview with the Dais's Viet Vu
Join me in this first episode of my series exploring why Canada has slipped from 3rd to 47th in the UN E-Government rankings. I sit down with Viet Vu, co-author of the DAIS Report, "Byte-Sized Progress: Assessing Digital Transformation in the Government of Canada."
Access the full report here: http://bit.ly/4hlUlQh
Note: The report initially referenced Canada's 2023 ranking at 46th. By 2024, t
UK's Digital Centre - Part 1 - The State of Digital Government
🚨 Major Update Alert! 🇬🇧
The UK just dropped its biggest digital government announcement in over a decade! Dive into this four-part series to understand what happened and why it matters.
🎥 In this first episode, I dissect the "State of Digital Government" report, a brutally honest look at the current state. I'll guide you through the crucial insights and lay the foundation for the UK's ambitio
Key Trends from 2024 and Things to Watch in 2025
In this podcast, I share my thoughts on the most important trends from 2024 that are impacting public service. I'll also share my top picks for the must-read books and must-listen podcasts for public servants around the globe. To cap it off, I discuss the critical developments I'm keeping an eye on for 2025 that could shape our work in the public sector. Don't miss out on these insights to stay in
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