The statement
We are committed to the safe and responsible use of AI to support our purpose of promoting harmonious, productive, cooperative, and compliant workplace relations. Our use of AI is guided by our AI Strategy 2026–27 and AI Governance Framework, both of which comply with the D igital Transformation Agency's (DTA) Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0. (Template language)
We use secure and commercially available AI systems and AI capabilities to address a variety of AI use cases, enabling our staff to focus on high-value complex work. AI systems and AI capabilities are strictly advisory: our staff review and verify all outputs, and make all decisions about compliance, enforcement, and entitlements.
We classify our AI use cases using the DTA's Classification system for AI use for domains and usage patterns. We do not have AI use cases where the public may directly interact with AI, or be significantly impacted by AI or its outputs, without human review.
| Domain | Decision making and administrative action | Analytics for insights | Workplace productivity | Image processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service delivery | ||||
| Compliance and fraud detection | Internal use | Internal use | ||
| Law enforcement, intelligence and security | Internal use | |||
| Policy and legal | Internal use | Internal use | ||
| Scientific | ||||
| Corporate and enabling | Internal use | Internal use |
AI-related risks are managed through our AI Governance Framework, along with our existing risk management procedures and protocols. T he following measures enable us to actively monitor the effectiveness and safety of our AI systems and AI capabilities, and protect the public against negative impacts.
| Measure | Description |
|---|---|
| AI Use Case Register | We maintain an internal register of all our in-scope AI use cases, managed by the Accountable Official (AO). |
| AI Impact Assessments | Every new and existing AI use case will undergo a mandatory risk assessment using the DTA's AI Impact Assessment tool. |
| Supply chain monitoring | We monitor our AI supply chain. |
| Executive oversight | The AI Accountable Official (AO) provides high-level oversight of the Agency's AI adoption to ensure it remains within the Agency's risk appetite and aligns with whole-of-government policy. |
| Human oversight | AI outputs are always reviewed by our staff. |
The Agency is compliant with the mandatory requirements in the DTA's Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0. (Template language)
| Requirement | Compliant | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AI transparency statement | Yes | |
| Strategic position on AI adoption | Yes | AI Strategy 2026-27 published internally and communicated to all staff in March 2026. |
| AI Accountable Official designation | Yes | |
| Accountable Use Case Owners designation | Yes | In progress. |
| Internal AI Use Case Register | Yes | |
| Share Internal AI Use Case Register with DTA every six months | Yes | Not shared yet because it is earlier than 6 months. |
| Operationalise the responsible use of AI | Yes | AI Governance Framework published internally in March 2026 and currently being implemented. |
| Staff training on AI | Yes | In progress. About 95% as at June 2026. |
| Assessment of new AI use cases against in-scope criteria | Yes | |
| AI Impact Assessment for in-scope AI use cases | Yes | In progress. |
| Report high-risk in-scope AI use cases to DTA | Yes | No high-risk in-scope AI use cases determined. |
Reviews, updates, and contact information
It will be reviewed and updated at least once a year, when we make a significant change to our approach to AI, or when any new factor materially impacts this accuracy of this statement.
For enquiries or comments regarding this statement, or for AI safety concerns, please contact us at aiqueries@fwo.gov.au.
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AI Transparency Statement
Introduction
The Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (Agency) is committed to engaging responsibly and transparently
with Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to support its purpose to promote harmonious, productive,
and cooperative workplace relations.
Recognising the transformative potential of AI, the Agency is taking a proactive but cautious approach,
focusing on internal workforce improvements and internal capacity building while ensuring that AI is
implemented ethically, securely, and responsibly.
This statement outlines the Agency's commitment to meeting the Policy for the Responsible Use of AI in
Government (Policy). The Agency will adopt AI technologies transparently and securely, informed by
genuine consultation with our staff and ensuring alignment with government-wide principles for
responsible AI implementation.
The Agency’s approach includes participation in Whole-of-Government Trials, developing robust internal
governance structures, and a commitment to addressing critical areas such as purpose, decision-making,
risk mitigation, data protection and public transparency as AI adoption evolves. Central to this
commitment is maintaining public trust and ensuring AI activities we conduct are ethical and responsible.
Commitment to Transparency and Public Trust
The Agency recognises the importance of transparency in maintaining public trust as we determine our
approach to, and implementation of, AI. We will ensure that AI adoption remains transparent,
accountable, and aligned with the latest standards and ethical guidelines.
If we decide to use personal information when we procure or build AI technologies, we will comply with
the Australian Privacy Principles and will provide an explanation of how personal information has been
used in a way which is transparent and easily understood.
The Agency will continue to adopt AI cautiously, ensuring that use aligns with our core values of fairness,
respect, and accountability, and that it delivers meaningful benefits to both the community we serve and
our employees.
2
Current AI Use
The Agency’s engagement with AI is in its initial stages and primarily focused on establishing robust
governance processes to effectively leverage AI in a safe, ethical, and responsible way that complies with
our legislative and policy obligations. For example, through the Whole-of-Government Co-Pilot AI Trial a
small subset of Agency staff have undertaken training and explored the potential of this secure generative
AI tool to enhance productivity and business outcomes.
A number of software products we use to support our administrative functions include AI tools within the
product offering. The Agency also leverages software products with AI features such as technologies used
for language conversion and chatbot designed to make finding information on our website easier for
users.
Currently, AI is not used for decision-making within the Agency or by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO).
Our use of AI falls under the classification of workplace productivity and analytics for insights under the
Policy.
Guiding Principles and Planned Activities for AI Use
The FWO is committed to establishing a strong foundation for responsible, ethical and transparent
adoption of AI. As the Agency begins to explore the potential of AI technologies, it remains focused on
setting up robust governance mechanisms and aligning with its core principles to ensure AI is
implemented ethically and securely:
Ethics and Accountability : Oversight of AI initiatives will be managed through a dedicated governance
framework, including a new internal governance body to provide strategic direction, monitor AI initiatives
and adoption, and ensure ethical and consultation considerations are addressed as the Agency adopts
and integrates AI technologies. This will ensure that all AI has human oversight and will not replace human
decision-making.
Employee Consultation, Safety and Wellbeing : As both a regulator and an employer, the FWO is
committed to ensuring that it consults with its employees about the potential use of AI in the workplace
and that AI enhances workplace safety and wellbeing in addition to supporting the services we deliver.
The Agency prioritises the responsible and ethical use of AI to support our employees to do the valuable
work they provide to our community in a way that enhances our productivity and efficiency. We aim to
be an employer that uses AI in our work in a manner that fulfils the objective of harmonious, productive,
and cooperative workplace relations.
3
Caution and Proactivity: The Agency is taking a cautious yet proactive approach to AI adoption, focusing on gradual integration. This involves addressing risks and building internal expertise to create a sustainable and impactful AI framework. Privacy: The Agency is committed to ensuring that we maintain the trust of employers, employees, their representatives and our own employees in relation to our handling of personal information. Our AI governance framework will follow best practice guidance on the use of commercially available AI products and on using personal information to train AI products published by the Office of the Australian Information Commission. Cyber Security: All AI initiatives will align with government security standards, including the Protective Security Policy Framework and Information Security Manual, to continue safeguarding sensitive data, our systems and ensure compliance with cyber security practices. In the coming year, the Agency will focus on the following key activities to support our adoption of AI: ● Governance and Oversight : The Agency is establishing governance mechanisms to ensure transparency, monitor AI initiatives and adoption, and evaluate ethical considerations and consult with our workforce and stakeholders. These mechanisms will guide AI implementation, outline how we will undertake risk assessments, and provide a governance framework for responsible and ethical AI use. ● AI Use Case Exploration : Initial efforts will focus on internal AI applications in workplace productivity and data insights using controlled pilot projects. The Agency will develop internal policies to guide AI use, provide training to build staff capability, and evaluate the potential of AI to streamline processes while maintaining ethical safeguards. AI Accountable Official The FWO has appointed the Chief Information Officer as the AI Accountable Official responsible for: ● overseeing the development and implementation of AI initiatives within the Agency, ● ensuring compliance with the Policy and other relevant frameworks, ● providing strategic oversight on AI governance and risk management, and ● acting as a key liaison for whole-of-government AI collaboration.
4
Artificial Intelligence definition When discussing AI, the Agency applies the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development definition: An AI system is a machine-based system that, for explicit or implicit objectives, infers, from the input it receives, how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments. Different AI systems vary in their levels of autonomy and adaptiveness after deployment. Review, Updates, and Contact Information
The FWO is committed to ensuring transparency as AI adoption evolves. This transparency statement will be reviewed and updated at least annually or whenever there are significant changes to the Agency’s AI use, governance framework or relevant government policies. For any inquiries or comments regarding this statement, please complete our Feedback form.
www.fairwork.gov.au Page 1
AI Transparency Statement
Introduction
This statement outlines how the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (Agency) uses artificial
intelligence (AI), how AI-related risks are governed and managed, and how the Agency complies with
the Digital Transformation Agency’s (DTA) Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0 and other
applicable Commonwealth AI legislation, regulations, and frameworks.
The Agency is committed to a safe and responsible use of AI to support our purpose of promoting
harmonious, productive, cooperative, and compliant workplace relations. This means that while AI
systems and capabilities may provide insights or administrative support, all decisions regarding
compliance, enforcement, and entitlements, are made by authorised Agency staff. AI systems and
capabilities are strictly advisory, and their outputs are reviewed and verified by our staff.
Approach to AI use
Our use of AI is guided by the DTA’s Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0, the Department
of Industry Science and Resources Australia’s AI Ethics Principles, and our Agency's core operational
principles.
We use secure, commercially available software (including generative AI systems and AI capabilities)
to address a variety of AI use cases, enabling our staff to focus on high-value complex work.
Classification of AI use
Consistent with the DTA’s Classification system for AI use, we classify our current AI use cases under
the following usage patterns; noting we do not use AI where the public may directly interact with, or
be significantly impacted by it:
Domain Decision making and
administrative action
Analytics for
insights
Workplace
productivity
Image
processing
Service delivery
Compliance and fraud
detection
Internal use
Law enforcement,
intelligence and
security
Internal use
Policy and legal Internal use Internal use
Scientific
Corporate and enabling Internal use Internal use
www.fairwork.gov.au Page 2
Governance
To ensure appropriate AI governance, oversight and leadership, the Agency has established designated
accountability roles including that of the:
• AI Accountable Official (AO): The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is the Agency’s designated AI
Accountable Official (AO), responsible for the implementation and oversight of AI initiatives.
• Chief AI Officer (CAIO): The Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Regulatory Transformation
Group Manager share the role of Chief AI Officer (CAIO), providing strategic leadership, and
helping drive AI adoption and cultural change within the Agency.
Monitoring
AI-related risks are managed through the Agency’s existing risk management procedures and protocols
and executive oversight. The following measures enable us to actively monitor the effectiveness and
safety of AI technologies:
• Risk assessment s: We apply Agency risk management processes to evaluate proposed AI
systems and AI capabilities, taking into consideration, privacy, security, and operational risks
before and after deployment.
• Executive oversight: The AO provides high -level oversight of the Agency’s AI adoption to
ensure it remains within the Agency's risk appetite and aligns with whole -of-government
policy.
• Human oversight: The effectiveness of AI outputs is continually monitored by authorised staff
using the AI systems and AI capabilities.
Compliance
The Agency is compliant with the DTA’s Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0. We have
established a strategic approach to AI adoption, which will be formalised with the Agency’s AI Strategy
2026–27 and AI Governance Framework in March 2026.
Reviews, update, and contact information
It will be reviewed and updated:
• at least once a year
• when making a significant change to the Agency's approach to AI
• when any new factor materially impacts the existing statement's accuracy.
For any enquiries or comments regarding this statement, please contact us at aiqueries@fwo.gov.au.
www.fairwork.gov.au Page 1
AI Transparency Statement
Introduction
This statement outlines how the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (Agency) uses artificial
intelligence (AI), how AI-related risks are governed and managed, and how the Agency complies with
the Digital Transformation Agency’s (DTA) Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0 and other
applicable Commonwealth AI legislation, regulations, and frameworks.
The Agency is committed to a safe and responsible use of AI to support our purpose of promoting
harmonious, productive, cooperative, and compliant workplace relations. This means that while AI
systems and capabilities may provide insights or administrative support, all decisions regarding
compliance, enforcement, and entitlements, are made by authorised Agency staff. AI systems and
capabilities are strictly advisory, and their outputs are reviewed and verified by our staff.
Approach to AI use
Our use of AI is guided by the DTA’s Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0, the Department
of Industry Science and Resources Australia’s AI Ethics Principles, and our Agency's core operational
principles.
We use secure, commercially available software (including generative AI systems and AI capabilities)
to address a variety of AI use cases, enabling our staff to focus on high-value complex work.
Classification of AI use
Consistent with the DTA’s Classification system for AI use, we classify our current AI use cases under
the following usage patterns; noting we do not use AI where the public may directly interact with, or
be significantly impacted by it:
Domain Decision making and
administrative action
Analytics for
insights
Workplace
productivity
Image
processing
Service delivery
Compliance and fraud
detection
Internal use
Law enforcement,
intelligence and
security
Internal use
Policy and legal Internal use Internal use
Scientific
Corporate and enabling Internal use Internal use
www.fairwork.gov.au Page 2
Governance
To ensure appropriate AI governance, oversight and leadership, the Agency has established designated
accountability roles including that of the:
• AI Accountable Official (AO): The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is the Agency’s designated AI
Accountable Official (AO), responsible for the implementation and oversight of AI initiatives.
• Chief AI Officer (CAIO): The Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Regulatory Transformation
Group Manager share the role of Chief AI Officer (CAIO), providing strategic leadership, and
helping drive AI adoption and cultural change within the Agency.
Monitoring
AI-related risks are managed through the Agency’s existing risk management procedures and protocols
and executive oversight. The following measures enable us to actively monitor the effectiveness and
safety of AI technologies:
• Risk assessment s: We apply Agency risk management processes to evaluate proposed AI
systems and AI capabilities, taking into consideration, privacy, security, and operational risks
before and after deployment.
• Executive oversight: The AO provides high -level oversight of the Agency’s AI adoption to
ensure it remains within the Agency's risk appetite and aligns with whole -of-government
policy.
• Human oversight: The effectiveness of AI outputs is continually monitored by authorised staff
using the AI systems and AI capabilities.
Compliance
The Agency is compliant with the DTA’s Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0. We have
established a strategic approach to AI adoption, which will be formalised with the Agency’s AI Strategy
2026–27 and AI Governance Framework in March 2026.
Reviews, update, and contact information
It will be reviewed and updated:
• at least once a year
• when making a significant change to the Agency's approach to AI
• when any new factor materially impacts the existing statement's accuracy.
For any enquiries or comments regarding this statement, please contact us at aiqueries@fwo.gov.au.
AI Transparency Statement
Introduction
This statement outlines how the Office of the Fair Work Ombudsman (Agency) uses artificial intelligence (AI), how AI-related risks are governed and managed, and how the Agency complies with the Digital Transformation Agency’s (DTA) Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0 and other applicable Commonwealth AI legislation, regulations, and frameworks.
The Agency is committed to a safe and responsible use of AI to support our purpose of promoting harmonious, productive, cooperative, and compliant workplace relations. This means that while AI systems and capabilities may provide insights or administrative support, all decisions regarding compliance, enforcement, and entitlements, are made by authorised Agency staff. AI systems and capabilities are strictly advisory, and their outputs are reviewed and verified by our staff.
Approach to AI use
Our use of AI is guided by the DTA’s Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0, the Department of Industry Science and Resources Australia’s AI Ethics Principles, and our Agency's core operational principles.
We use secure, commercially available software (including generative AI systems and AI capabilities) to address a variety of AI use cases, enabling our staff to focus on high-value complex work.
Classification of AI use
Consistent with the DTA’s Classification system for AI use, we classify our current AI use cases under the following usage patterns; noting we do not use AI where the public may directly interact with, or be significantly impacted by it:
Domain Decision making and administrative action Analytics for insights Workplace productivity Image processing Service delivery Compliance and fraud detection Internal use Law enforcement, intelligence and security Internal use Policy and legal Internal use Internal use Scientific Corporate and enabling Internal use Internal use
Governance
To ensure appropriate AI governance, oversight and leadership, the Agency has established designated accountability roles including that of the:
- AI Accountable Official (AO): The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is the Agency’s designated AI Accountable Official (AO), responsible for the implementation and oversight of AI initiatives.
- Chief AI Officer (CAIO): The Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Regulatory Transformation Group Manager share the role of Chief AI Officer (CAIO), providing strategic leadership, and helping drive AI adoption and cultural change within the Agency.
Monitoring
AI-related risks are managed through the Agency’s existing risk management procedures and protocols and executive oversight. The following measures enable us to actively monitor the effectiveness and safety of AI technologies:
- Risk assessments: We apply Agency risk management processes to evaluate proposed AI systems and AI capabilities, taking into consideration, privacy, security, and operational risks before and after deployment.
- Executive oversight: The AO provides high-level oversight of the Agency’s AI adoption to ensure it remains within the Agency's risk appetite and aligns with whole-of-government policy.
- Human oversight: The effectiveness of AI outputs is continually monitored by authorised staff using the AI systems and AI capabilities.
Compliance
The Agency is compliant with the DTA’s Policy for Responsible Use of AI in Government 2.0. We have established a strategic approach to AI adoption, which will be formalised with the Agency’s AI Strategy 2026–27 and AI Governance Framework in March 2026.
Reviews, update, and contact information
It will be reviewed and updated:
- at least once a year
- when making a significant change to the Agency's approach to AI
- when any new factor materially impacts the existing statement's accuracy.
For any enquiries or comments regarding this statement, please contact us at aiqueries@fwo.gov.au.
Statement text © Fair Work Ombudsman. Most agency content is CC BY 4.0; check the original for its terms.