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

Our services

Independent AI governance readiness and risk assessment informed by Australia's AI Ethics Principles.

How organisations typically engage with us

1

Governance Review

Understand current risks and gaps

2

Governance Improvement

Address gaps through internal teams or independent advisers

3

Maturity Verification

Demonstrate governance readiness to stakeholders

Most organisations begin with a governance review. Formal assessment is pursued when external governance verification is required.

AI governance maturity assessment

Best suited for: Organisations seeking clarity on current AI risk exposure

Independent, evidence-based assessment of your organisational AI governance arrangements, including accountability, risk integration, policy and control alignment, oversight mechanisms, and independent review. Assessment evaluates governance oversight and control structures rather than technical system performance. The assessment is limited to governance maturity and does not evaluate AI model performance or provide implementation advice.

Documentation and policy review

Governance process evaluation

Accountability and oversight assessment

Evidence register and maturity scoring

Risk and control review

Best suited for: Organisations deploying AI in high-stakes or regulated contexts

Evaluation of governance processes addressing risks associated with your AI systems, including ethical, operational, reputational, and compliance considerations.

Identification of AI-related risks

Evaluation of governance processes addressing bias and fairness risks

Evaluation of governance processes addressing privacy and security risks

Governance recommendations regarding risk oversight processes

Independent governance assessment

Best suited for: Organisations requiring independent governance verification for boards, procurement, or external stakeholders

Formal governance maturity evaluation for organisations that demonstrate assessment against AIGC's published governance criteria and ethical principles through our structured assessment process.

Board-level governance assessment report

Comprehensive risk and control findings

Independent governance verification report

Twelve-month assessment validity

Three assessment levels available:

Level 1: Early Stage | Level 2: Developing | Level 3: Formalised

Learn about assessment levels

Governance uplift roadmap

Best suited for: Organisations addressing identified governance gaps or building maturity

Following assessment, AIGC identifies governance gaps and maturity constraints in the assessment report. Organisations receive a structured uplift roadmap and may choose to address gaps through their internal teams or independent advisers. AIGC does not provide implementation consulting to organisations it assesses.

Gap identification and maturity assessment

Detailed assessment reporting

Clear documentation of findings

Prioritised pathway toward governance maturity

Annual reassessments

Governance assessments are valid for twelve months. Annual reassessment ensures your governance practices remain consistent with AIGC governance criteria and evolving governance expectations.

Regular reviews adapt to evolving practices, changing systems, and emerging governance expectations.

Update reviews

Material changes to assessed AI systems require update reviews to maintain assessment validity. This ensures governance oversight keeps pace with system evolution.

Significant changes to functionality, data usage, or deployment context trigger update assessment requirements.

Assessment reference framework

AIGC's framework references Australia's AI Ethics Principles, developed to guide responsible AI development and deployment:

Human, societal and environmental wellbeing

Human-centred values

Fairness

Privacy protection and security

Reliability and safety

Transparency and explainability

Contestability

Accountability

Documentation and transparency

Our assessment process emphasises comprehensive documentation and transparent evaluation. Organisations undergoing assessment receive detailed reports outlining:

  • Specific findings from the governance review
  • Assessment against AIGC governance criteria and referenced ethical principles
  • Identified strengths in current practices
  • Areas requiring attention or improvement
  • Practical recommendations for enhancement
  • Clear rationale for assessment outcomes and maturity ratings

This documentation supports organisational learning, continuous improvement, and transparent communication with stakeholders about AI governance maturity.

Official Government Resources

AIGC's framework references and is informed by relevant Australian Government AI guidance.

Listing of these resources does not imply endorsement of AIGC by any government body.

View All Resources

Ready to begin?

Most organisations start with a governance review to understand their current position.