AI Policy and Governance Newsletter — September 2025
Consolidates the most significant Australian and global AI governance signals from July–August 2025 — a useful orientation for APS practitioners tracking the regulatory landscape.
Key points
- Good Ancestors' September 2025 newsletter covers major Australian and international AI governance developments across two months.
- Australian threads dominate: a national AI Act debate, six new AU-focused reports, GPT-5 oversight gaps, and calls for an Australian AISI.
- International threads include the US AI Action Plan, China's competing governance vision, EU GPAI Code of Practice, and UK AISI pre-release testing.
Implications for Australian agencies
- Monitor Policy and governance teams may want to monitor the Australian AI Act debate closely, as the government's 'light touch' framing is drawing sustained expert and institutional opposition that could shift rapidly.
- Consider Agencies developing or reviewing AI governance frameworks could consider the six Australian reports highlighted — particularly the Responsible AI Index maturity benchmark and the multi-agent risk analysis — as inputs to internal assessments.
- Consider APS teams tracking international developments may want to engage directly with the EU GPAI Code of Practice and UK AISI pre-release testing model, both of which offer practical governance precedents relevant to Australian regulatory design.
Implications are AI-generated. Starting points, not advice — see methodology for how they're framed.
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"AI Policy and Governance Newsletter — September 2025"
Source: Good Ancestors – AI Policy & Governance Newsletter
Published: (undated)
URL: https://www.goodancestors.org.au/newsletter/2025-09
Good Ancestors' September 2025 newsletter surveys two months of AI governance activity. Australian coverage centres on the intensifying national AI Act debate, with key ministers favouring a 'light touch' approach while the Australian Human Rights Commission, former ministers, and expert reports argue existing laws are inadequate. Six Australian reports are highlighted, including Good Ancestors' own legislation stress test and the National AI Centre's Responsible AI Index showing a 43/100 maturity average. Internationally, the newsletter covers the US AI Action Plan (103 policy actions), China's competing 13-point governance vision, the EU's GPAI Code of Practice, UK AISI's landmark pre-release testing of ChatGPT Agent, California's SB 53 amendments, and brief items on Texas, Pennsylvania, the OAIC privacy assessment tool, UN AI governance bodies, and AI companion safety concerns.
Implications for Australian agencies:
- [Monitor] Policy and governance teams may want to monitor the Australian AI Act debate closely, as the government's 'light touch' framing is drawing sustained expert and institutional opposition that could shift rapidly.
- [Consider] Agencies developing or reviewing AI governance frameworks could consider the six Australian reports highlighted — particularly the Responsible AI Index maturity benchmark and the multi-agent risk analysis — as inputs to internal assessments.
- [Consider] APS teams tracking international developments may want to engage directly with the EU GPAI Code of Practice and UK AISI pre-release testing model, both of which offer practical governance precedents relevant to Australian regulatory design.
Retrieved from SIMS, 18 July 2026.