Bailey Abbott has been appointed Strategic AI and Data Partner to three of Adelaide’s largest metropolitan councils, partnering with the Cities of Charles Sturt, Marion and Port Adelaide Enfield under a new four-year, multi-million dollar contract that marks a significant step forward in responsible AI adoption in South Australian local government.
Bailey Abbott was appointed following a highly competitive open Expression of Interest process and will invest more than $1 million into the initiative over the term of the agreement.
Bailey Abbott will work alongside staff across the three councils to build understanding of AI, identify opportunities to address operational challenges and pilot new solutions that deliver better outcomes for residents.
A collaborative innovation partnership
This initiative goes beyond the traditional client-vendor model.
Bailey Abbott will collaborate directly with council teams to co-design initiatives, develop practical use cases and support implementation across council operations. The goal is to build lasting capability within local government, not simply introduce new technology.
The partnership spans the full journey from early exploration through to operational deployment. Work will include:
- AI discovery and readiness assessments
- Co-design of priority use cases
- Development of council AI roadmaps
- Pilot programs and scaled implementation
- Capability development for council staff
Delivery will follow an Idea-to-Operate framework, ensuring strong governance and oversight as initiatives move from concept to real-world use.
Responsible innovation for local communities
The councils and Bailey Abbott share a clear focus: improving services while maintaining strong safeguards around data, governance and transparency.
Rather than introducing a single platform or system, the partnership will develop a portfolio of initiatives that address real community and operational needs.
These may include opportunities to improve service responsiveness, support council staff with better insights and streamline internal processes. The aim is to create meaningful improvements for residents while ensuring AI is implemented responsibly and transparently.
A Joint Steering Committee with representatives from all three councils and Bailey Abbott will oversee priorities, risk management, data governance and ethical considerations. This structure ensures innovation progresses with appropriate oversight and public trust.
A new model for shared value in local government
The partnership introduces a progressive commercial model that enables councils and Bailey Abbott to share in the value of solutions developed through the program.
Intellectual property created through the collaboration will be governed so councils retain the ability to reuse and benefit from solutions developed with public investment.
This creates opportunities for innovations developed within the program to be scaled and adopted across the broader local government sector.
Bailey Abbott will also invest more than $1 million into the initiative over the term of the agreement, supporting long-term research, product development and capability uplift in the public sector.
Building capability, not just technology
A key focus of the partnership is developing skills and knowledge within council teams.
Alongside delivering projects, Bailey Abbott will work with staff across the three councils to build understanding of AI, identify opportunities for improvement and support experimentation in a safe and structured environment.
This approach encourages shared learning across the participating councils while strengthening long-term capability within local government.
Strengthening South Australia’s data and AI leadership
For Bailey Abbott, the partnership represents a major step in its strategic focus on building scalable AI-driven products and solutions for the public sector.
As a South Australian-based consultancy, Bailey Abbott has built unmatched local capacity in IT and data consulting, with a collaborative delivery model that meets clients where they work rather than operating as a traditional supplier.
Through this program, Bailey Abbott will continue investing in local talent and building a broader ecosystem of South Australian specialists who can support councils as they adopt data and AI more effectively.
The partnership positions the three councils as leaders in responsible innovation and demonstrates how local government can adopt emerging technologies in a way that delivers real benefits for local communities.
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