ADM+S Submission cited in new Parliament report on the Use and Governance of AI Systems by Public Sector Entities
Author
Date 7 March 2025
The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit has published its report on the Inquiry into the Use and Governance of AI by Public Sector Entities, citing the ADM+S submission throughout.
Responding to the steep increase in AI adoption by public sector entities that was found during the 2022-23 Commonwealth Financial Statements, the Committee established a specific Inquiry into the Use and Governance of AI by Commonwealth Entities in September 2024.
Chair of the Committee, Hon Linda Burney MP explained, “The issue that was fundamental to this inquiry was whether the existing governance and oversight of this technology matches its rapid and continuing advancement.
“Policy frameworks must be equipped to adequately assess the great promise that AI brings but also understand the inherent and significant risks that accompany its use.”
In February 2025 the Committee released a report titled ‘Proceed with Caution’, which provides four key recommendations.
- The Australian Public Service Commission to introduce questions on the use and understanding of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies into its annual APS Employee Census.
- The Australian Government convenes a whole of Government working group within 12 months of this report to develop key frameworks for managing sovereign risks, and biases that result from the adoption of these technologies can be effectively mitigated.
- The Australian Government establishes a statutory Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies to provide effective and continuous Parliamentary oversight of the adoption of these systems across the Australian government and more widely.
- Any guidance issued by the Digital Transformation Agency, or any other Australian Government agency, should clearly define all AI systems and applications.
In addition to addressing the Inquiry’s terms of reference, the ADM+S submission led by Prof Kimberlee Weatherall included three other areas of research that raise important considerations around the use of AI in the public sector;Disability and accessibility, Environmental impact, and Trauma-informed approaches.
The 24 October submission reads, “The public sector should, in its use of AI, demonstrate the positive impacts that technology can have in achieving important public goals, such as promoting access, inclusion, and better public services.”
Key contributions and citations from the ADM+S submission:
- Areas of stakeholder concern: Noting that while there is not a clear distinction between automation and AI, ‘whether it involves AI or not, public sector automation can significantly affect citizen’s rights and good public sector administration — and in similar ways’.
- Australia’s AI ethics and principles: The report considers ADM+S’ concerns that the existing principles were developed prior to the widespread availability of generative AI and had not been reviewed as at September 2024
- Policy for the responsible use of AI in government: ADM+S explains that ‘the policy is extraordinarily limited in what it requires’, as it ‘introduces a new three-part language framework that is not aligned with any of the Australia’s AI Ethics Principles, the National Framework or the proposed Mandatory Guardrails’.’
- Current regulatory framework: ADM+S is quoted, referring to concerns that the current arrangements do not allow for effective investigation, enforcement and direction.
- Establishment of new policies or legislation: ADM+S is quoted for the overwhelming nature of having many slightly different guidelines, recommendations, frameworks and statements. ADM+S’ suggestion for a common baseline, one stronger than the current Commonwealth policy, is highlighted here.
The ADM+S submission was led by Kimberlee Weatherall, with contributions from Jose-Miguell Bello y Villarino, Gerard Goggin, Jake Goldenfein, Paul Henman, Rita Matulionyte, Christine Parker, Lyndal Sleep and Georgia van Toorn.
