Role Title: How is data used in local government decision-making?
Organisation: Local Government Professionals WA
Internship Period: Summer (November - December)
Location: Mount Hawthorn
LG Professionals WA supports Western Australia's 139 local governments to strengthen leadership and organisational capability. Our Data Drives Decisions (DDD) program gives councils comparative benchmarking data across finance, assets and service delivery. Four years in, access to data has grown faster than councils' capability to convert it into confident decisions, particularly for smaller and regional councils without dedicated analysts.
This internship will explore that gap first-hand. Working with the project supervisor, the intern will help design and deliver structured information sessions with a cross-section of WA local governments, exploring what data they use, where it comes from, and the outcomes they're trying to achieve. The intern will take detailed notes across sessions, then synthesise the findings into a report identifying common patterns, gaps and opportunities.
The report will recommend how LG Professionals WA can better support local governments to use data with confidence and transparency in decision-making. Findings will inform the long-term direction of the DDD program, broadening its focus from a benchmarking tool into wider support for data-driven decision-making across the sector.
A great opportunity for a student interested in public sector research, data strategy or organisational development to see how data is actually used inside real organisations, and help shape a state-wide sector initiative.
Local Government Professionals Australia WA is the peak representative body for local government professionals in Western Australia.
LG Professionals WA was established in 1936, and is a National Federation with member associations in each State and Territory, representing over 5,000 members across Australia, with over 800 members in Western Australia.
We are committed to continual improvement in local government leadership, governance, management and service delivery for local communities, and ensuring that our members are at the forefront of change and innovation.