AI Governance Council Australia

Independent AI Governance Readiness and Risk Assessment

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

AI Governance Resources

Official Australian Government frameworks, guidance, and policy documents for responsible AI development and deployment.

Last reviewed: June 2026 | Next review: September 2026

Who this page is for

These resources are provided for boards, risk teams, and practitioners seeking authoritative reference material on AI governance expectations in Australia. Use this page when preparing governance and oversight frameworks, conducting due diligence, or benchmarking against official guidance.

Key regulatory context

The National AI Plan (December 2025) confirmed Australia will rely on existing legal frameworks and sector regulators rather than introducing a standalone AI Act. The Guidance for AI Adoption (AI6, October 2025) has superseded the earlier Voluntary AI Safety Standard. The Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government was updated to v2.0 in December 2025 with strengthened accountability, transparency, and impact assessment requirements. The Australian AI Safety Institute is becoming operational in early 2026.

These resources inform and are referenced within AIGC's assessment framework.

PRIMARY GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE

Guidance for AI Adoption

Released by the National AI Centre in October 2025, this is the current primary government guidance for responsible AI in Australia. It sets out six essential practices and replaces the 2024 Voluntary AI Safety Standard. Start here.

Source: National AI Centre, Department of Industry, Science and Resources
Visit industry.gov.au

Key Government AI Resources

These resources are provided for reference purposes. Listing does not imply endorsement of AIGC by any government or standards body. AIGC governance assessment is conducted against AIGC's published framework and does not constitute formal assessment under government or ISO standards.

Guidance for AI Adoption: Implementation Practices

The detailed, step-by-step version of the national guidance, for governance and technical teams putting the six essential practices into operation. Read this when you move from awareness to implementation.

Source: National AI Centre (DISR)Updated: October 2025National guidance
View Resource

Australia's AI Ethics Principles

The eight voluntary principles that underpin the national guidance and most Australian Government AI policy. The foundation that the rest of the framework maps back to.

Source: Department of Industry, Science and ResourcesUpdated: CurrentNational guidance
View Resource

National AI Plan

Australia’s national AI strategy. It confirms the current direction: rely on existing laws and sector regulators plus voluntary guidance, supported by a new AI Safety Institute, rather than a standalone AI Act. Read this to understand where regulation is heading.

Source: Australian GovernmentUpdated: December 2025Strategy
View Resource

Voluntary AI Safety Standard

The 2024 standard and its ten guardrails. Now superseded by the Guidance for AI Adoption, but retained here because many existing frameworks and contracts still reference the ten guardrails by number.

Source: National AI Centre (DISR)Updated: 2024, supersededNational guidance
View Resource

Privacy and the use of commercially available AI products

How the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles apply when your organisation uses AI tools. Includes practical checklists. Read this if staff use chatbots, assistants or content tools that touch personal information.

Source: Office of the Australian Information CommissionerUpdated: October 2024Privacy
View Resource

Privacy and developing and training generative AI models

The companion privacy guidance for organisations using personal information to train or fine-tune generative AI models.

Source: Office of the Australian Information CommissionerUpdated: October 2024Privacy
View Resource

Engaging with Artificial Intelligence

Practical guidance on the threats specific to AI systems and the steps to use them securely, covering both self-hosted and third-party tools. Read this alongside the Essential Eight.

Source: ASD's Australian Cyber Security CentreUpdated: 2024Cyber security
View Resource

Policy for the responsible use of AI in government

The whole-of-government policy (version 2.0, effective December 2025) governing how Australian Public Service agencies adopt AI, including accountable officials, use-case registers and impact assessments. Relevant if you supply to, or work with, government.

Source: Digital Transformation AgencyUpdated: December 2025Government
View Resource

Standard for AI transparency statements

The requirement for agencies to publicly disclose how they use AI. A useful model for any organisation considering its own transparency approach.

Source: Digital Transformation AgencyUpdated: December 2025Government
View Resource

REP 798 Beware the gap: Governance arrangements in the face of AI innovation

ASIC's review of AI use across licensees, warning that adoption is outpacing governance. It sets out the regulator's expectations and the questions every board in financial services should be able to answer.

Source: Australian Securities and Investments CommissionUpdated: October 2024Financial services
View Resource

Artificial intelligence and medical device software regulation

When and how AI-enabled software is regulated as a medical device in Australia. Essential reading for anyone building or deploying AI in diagnosis, monitoring or treatment.

Source: Therapeutic Goods AdministrationUpdated: February 2026Healthcare
View Resource