About AI Governance Council Australia

AI Governance Council Australia (AIGC) provides independent AI governance readiness assessment and governance risk and control review for Australian organisations. We help reduce AI risk, protect boards and executives, and meet Australia's evolving AI governance expectations.

Our Mission

To establish trusted, independent standards for responsible AI deployment in Australia, protecting organisations and the public from AI-related harms while enabling innovation.

Why AI Governance Matters

Board and Executive Liability: Directors face increasing personal exposure for AI decisions
Procurement Requirements: Major contracts now require evidence of AI governance
Insurance and Risk Transfer: Insurers are scrutinising AI practices in underwriting
Regulatory Trajectory: Australian regulation is intensifying across sectors

Our Services

AI Governance Assessment

Comprehensive independent assessment of your AI systems, policies, and risk management practices. We identify legal, ethical, and operational risks before they become problems. Our assessment includes technical review, policy analysis, risk identification, gap analysis, and a detailed remediation roadmap.

Governance Readiness - Early Stage

Foundational governance readiness assessment for organisations with early stage or pilot AI use. Demonstrates your commitment to responsible AI development from the start. Includes governance framework review and basic policy assessment.

Governance Readiness - Operational

For organisations with AI in production. Confirms active governance controls, monitoring processes, and risk management procedures are in place. Includes comprehensive system assessment, operational review, and ongoing monitoring requirements.

Governance Maturity Evaluation - Full Governance

Comprehensive governance maturity evaluation for organisations with high-risk or regulated AI use. Provides maximum assurance and oversight for critical sectors including healthcare, financial services, and government. Includes complete governance audit, ongoing oversight, and annual reassessment.

Our Role

We provide independent assessment and governance risk identification. Implementation remains the responsibility of the organisation or its advisors.

Assessment Levels

Our three-tier assessment framework matches your organisation's AI maturity and risk profile:

Level 1: Early Stage

For organisations with early stage or pilot AI use. Scope: Basic governance framework, foundational policies. Requirements: Board awareness, documented policies, basic risk assessment. Timeline: 4-6 weeks. Cost: $8,500 + GST.

Level 2: Operational

For organisations with AI in production. Scope: Active governance controls, monitoring processes. Requirements: Operational policies, risk management procedures, incident response. Timeline: 6-8 weeks. Cost: $15,000 + GST.

Level 3: Full Governance

For high-risk or regulated AI deployments. Scope: Comprehensive governance, ongoing oversight. Requirements: Complete governance framework, board oversight, continuous monitoring. Timeline: 8-12 weeks. Cost: Custom pricing.

Our Methodology

Our AI governance assessment methodology is built on five core principles: independence, evidence-based assessment, risk-based approach, Australian context, and practical implementation. We assess across six governance domains: strategy and accountability, risk management, data governance, model governance, transparency and explainability, and monitoring and review.

Governance Framework

Our governance framework is designed for Australian organisations deploying AI systems. It provides structured guidance across all critical governance domains while remaining flexible enough to adapt to your specific context.

Framework Components

Governance Structure: Board oversight, executive accountability, governance committees
Risk Management: Risk assessment processes, mitigation strategies, incident response
Data Governance: Data quality, privacy protection, security controls
Model Governance: Development standards, validation processes, change management
Operational Controls: Monitoring systems, performance metrics, audit trails
Transparency: Documentation standards, explainability requirements, stakeholder communication

Ethics and Independence

Independence is fundamental to our assessment process. We maintain strict separation from consulting services, technology vendors, and commercial interests that could compromise our assessments.

Our Independence Commitments

No commercial relationships with assessed organisations beyond the assessment engagement
Assessors have no financial interest in assessment outcomes
Transparent methodology available for public review
Regular external audits of our assessment processes
Clear complaints and appeals procedures

Priority Sectors

We focus on sectors where AI risk exposure and regulatory scrutiny are highest:

Healthcare

AI in diagnostics, treatment planning, and patient care requires rigorous governance to protect patient safety and meet regulatory requirements.

Financial Services

AI in lending, fraud detection, and investment decisions faces intense regulatory scrutiny and poses significant liability risks.

Government

AI in public services, law enforcement, and decision-making must balance efficiency with fairness, transparency, and accountability.

Resources

We provide comprehensive resources to help Australian organisations understand and implement AI governance:

Australian Government AI Ethics Principles
NIST AI Risk Management Framework
EU AI Act Overview
ISO/IEC AI Standards
Industry-specific AI guidance
AI governance templates and checklists

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an AI governance readiness assessment?

An AI governance readiness assessment is an independent evaluation process that confirms an organisation has implemented appropriate policies, controls, and accountability structures for responsible AI deployment.

Why do organisations need AI governance?

AI governance helps organisations reduce board and executive liability, meet procurement requirements, manage insurance exposure, protect reputation, and address increasing regulatory scrutiny.

What are the risks of not implementing AI governance?

Without proper AI governance, organisations face board and executive liability, procurement rejection, increased insurance costs, reputational damage, and regulatory enforcement action.

How long does an AI governance assessment take?

Timeline varies based on assessment level: Early Stage (4-6 weeks), Operational (6-8 weeks), Full Governance (8-12 weeks).

What assessment level do I need?

Choose Early Stage for initial AI use, Operational for AI in production, or Full Governance for high-risk AI deployments.

Is AIGC government-affiliated?

No, we are an independent organisation. While we align with Australian Government AI guidance, we maintain complete independence.

Contact Information

Request an AI risk assessment or executive briefing. We respond to all enquiries within 24 hours.

Email: info@aigcaustralia.com.au

Location: Australia

Available for: AI governance assessments, governance risk and control reviews, executive briefings, speaking engagements

Our methodology

Q: How long does an AI governance assessment take?

The assessment process involves five stages: governance review, policy alignment, independent assessment, maturity determination, and governance uplift roadmap. Timeline varies based on organisation size, AI complexity, and current governance maturity.

Q: What assessment level do I need?

Choose Early Stage assessment for initial or pilot AI use, Operational assessment for AI in production, or Full Governance assessment for high-risk or regulated AI deployments. An initial consultation can help determine the appropriate level.

The principles and approach underpinning our AI governance assessments.

Assessment philosophy

AIGC Australia takes a principles-based, evidence-driven approach to AI governance assessment. We evaluate not just whether governance documentation exists, but whether it reflects genuine organisational commitment and practical implementation.

Our methodology is designed to provide structured governance assessment to boards, procurement teams, and external stakeholders while supporting organisations in strengthening their governance maturity over time.

Assessment outcomes reflect governance maturity at the time of assessment and do not constitute regulatory approval.

Principles-based

Assessment against outcomes rather than prescriptive checklists

Evidence-driven

Decisions based on documented practices and implementation evidence

Maturity-focused

Recognition of governance as a continuous improvement journey

Our methodology

AIGC conducts governance maturity assessment using a five pillar model: accountability and ownership, risk identification and register integration, policy and control alignment, oversight and review mechanisms, and independent assessment. Each pillar is evaluated against a structured maturity scale to ensure consistent and defensible scoring.

Scoring is evidence based, supported by an evidence register, structured interviews, and documented independent peer review prior to maturity determination.

Pillar 1: Accountability and ownership

Assessment of governance accountability structures, role clarity, and ownership allocation for AI systems and decisions.

Pillar 2: Risk identification and register integration

Evaluation of AI risk identification processes and integration into enterprise risk management frameworks.

Pillar 3: Policy and control alignment

Assessment of policy frameworks and control mechanisms governing AI development, deployment, and operation.

Pillar 4: Oversight and review mechanisms

Evaluation of governance oversight processes, review cadence, and monitoring arrangements for AI systems.

Pillar 5: Independent assessment

Assessment of independent review mechanisms, assurance activities, and external validation processes.

Independence safeguards

Structural independence

Our assessment function operates independently from any advisory or consulting activities. Assessors are prohibited from providing implementation advice to organisations they assess.

Separation between advisory and assessment functions. Where advisory services are provided, structural separation and cooling off safeguards apply prior to governance assessment
No commercial relationships beyond the defined assessment engagement
Assessor rotation to prevent familiarity bias

Conflict of interest management

All assessors must declare any relationships or interests that could compromise objectivity. Assessments are reassigned where potential conflicts are identified.

Commercial independence

Assessment outcomes are determined solely on evidence and criteria. Fee structures are fixed and do not depend on assessment outcomes.

Evidence-based decision making

Documentation review

We examine governance documentation including policies, procedures, risk assessments, and accountability frameworks. Documentation provides evidence of governance design and intent. Evidence sufficiency is assessed against defined criteria.

We recognise that documentation quality varies, and we assess substance over form.

Implementation evidence

Beyond documentation, we seek evidence that governance practices are implemented in practice. This includes review of decision records, audit trails, training records, and incident response histories.

Implementation evidence demonstrates that governance is operationalised, not merely documented, where sufficient evidence is available.

Stakeholder engagement

Where appropriate, we engage with key personnel responsible for AI governance to understand decision-making processes, accountability structures, and organisational culture. Interviews are conducted to supplement documentary evidence and do not replace documented controls.

Conversations provide context that enriches document-based evidence.

Consistency and quality assurance

Standardised framework

All assessments follow the same structured framework, ensuring consistent evaluation regardless of organisation size, sector, or assessor assignment.

Assessor calibration

Assessors participate in regular calibration exercises to ensure consistent interpretation and application of assessment criteria across all engagements.

Peer review

Assessment findings are subject to documented independent peer review prior to assessment outcome, providing an additional quality control layer.

Continuous improvement

We review methodology periodically to ensure responsiveness to evolving governance expectations, based on assessment experience and stakeholder feedback.

Framework alignment

Our methodology is informed by Australia's AI Ethics Principles and relevant international governance frameworks. We update our approach as Australian government guidance evolves.

Listing of these resources does not imply endorsement.

What assessments do not include

To maintain independence and clarity of purpose, our assessments specifically exclude:

Implementation advice: We do not advise organisations on how to implement governance practices
Technical testing: We do not conduct technical audits, penetration testing, or algorithmic testing of AI systems
Legal compliance assessment: We do not assess legal compliance; assessment addresses governance practices
Ongoing monitoring: Assessment reflects a point-in-time evaluation and does not constitute continuous oversight

Learn more about our framework

Explore the detailed assessment criteria and governance framework.

View governance framework Request assessment