Govt agencies lack transparency over automated decision making: report

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), the Federal Government's privacy and FOI regulator, says Government agencies are falling short disclosing their use of automated decision making (ADM).

ADM is "the use of technology, commonly referred to in Commonwealth legislation as a ‘computer program’, to automate a decision-making process". It is used across Government, including in social services, taxation, veterans’ entitlements, and aged care.

Most notably in aged care, the Government's new Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) uses ADM and has been under scrutiny in recent weeks for generating unexpected outcomes.

23 Government agencies reviews

This month the OAIC has published a report based on a review conducted in October 2025 of 23 Government agencies authorised to use ADM, including the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (DHDA).

The review was aimed at determining if Government agencies were being open and transparent about their use of ADM and to make recommendations to help them improve their transparency.

The review found:

• No agency published any policy or guidelines on the use of ADM;
• Two agencies used ADM but it was not disclosed;
• 17 agencies authorised to use ADM did not disclose that they use ADM in their IPS; 
• Ten agencies did not mention ADM on their websites, although they were granted the power to use it by statute; and
• Four agencies stated in their IPS information that they used ADM in decisions that affect the public.

The report deidentified the agencies reviewed and does not contain "adverse regulatory comment" on any specific agency only highlighting positive practices when they appeared.

"ADM transparency improved integrity"

Australian Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Tydd said, "Transparency is fundamental to open government.

"By clearly explaining when and how ADM is used, agencies can improve integrity, strengthen public confidence and uphold the statutory right to access government information.

"The OAIC will begin consultation to update the Information Commissioner Guidelines as a priority in 2026."

Recommendations

ADM has been used in Government programs for 25 years, but failures such as Robodebt have highlighted the need for clear oversight and transparency when agencies use ADM, as highlighted by the Robodebt Royal Commission. The Royal Commission recommended:

• a clear path be created for those affected by ADM decisions to seek review;
• departmental websites should contain information advising that ADM is used and explaining in plain language how the process works; and
• business rules and algorithms should be made available, to enable independent expert scrutiny.

The OAIC's report recommends:

• All agencies authorised to use ADM should publish this information;
• Agencies should clearly state the types of ADM they use to make automated decisions, not just AI;
• Agencies that use ADM should publish a list of decisions they use ADM for and relevant and easy to understand examples; and
• Agencies that use ADM should publish policies that clearly set out the principles for when and how they use ADM to make decisions and recommendations affecting members of the public.

You can read the report in full here.