# Australian Government Issues Draft AI Workplace Guidance

The Australian Government has released a draft best-practice guide for businesses adopting AI and opened it for public consultation. Organized around “plan, enable and embed,” the guide sets out eight principles that encourage organizations to plan AI integration, consult employees, assess workforce impacts, and improve productivity rather than treat AI as a standalone add-on. The guidance is voluntary; the signals identify no consultation deadline, procurement opportunity, contract award, funding, or procurement contact.

- Government procurement teams and contractors can use the draft as a voluntary reference when shaping AI implementation plans, workforce-transition support, or related service offerings; it is not described as a mandatory procurement requirement.
- Businesses providing AI adoption and workplace-change services may find demand for approaches that include employee consultation and assessment of workforce impacts alongside technical deployment.
- No solicitation or funding is announced, so the signals do not identify a current contract opportunity or submission action.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Information Technology
**Topics:** Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** November 12, 2026

### Government Entities
- Australian Government
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR)

### Key Quotes
> Businesses should look at how they can continue to make the most of their existing workers’ skills and experience.
> — Amanda Rishworth, Employment Minister

### Sources
- [AI at work needs collaborative workplace transformation, government says](https://www.themandarin.com.au/324275-ai-at-work-needs-collaborative-workplace-transformation-government-says) - The Mandarin
- [Government releases AI guidelines for business amid lay-off fears - Startup Daily](https://www.startupdaily.net/topic/business/government-releases-ai-guidelines-for-business-amid-lay-off-fears) - Startup Daily