Today we are launching our Algorithmic Auditing Guide for Australian Social Purpose Organisations.
The purpose of this guide is to support Australian civil society and social purpose organisations in undertaking algorithmic audits, which involve the systematic examination of how algorithms function in practice to identify risks such as unfair outcomes, lack of transparency or unintended harms. Undertaking these kinds of audits have been incredibly successful in other jurisdictions including the UK and US. We are also hoping to run a workshop for Australian social purpose organisations to help put this guide into action.
As governments and private organisations increasingly rely on automated decision-making systems, algorithms are shaping access to essential services, information, and opportunities across Australia. From content recommendation systems and targeted advertising to risk assessments, predictive policing, social welfare and benefits determinations, these systems can significantly influence the rights of Australians. However, their operation is often opaque, raising concerns about bias, discrimination, accountability, and harm. Researchers, advocates, and policymakers are debating when and where automated decision systems are appropriate.
In Australia, the government’s current approach to AI governance has shifted away from introducing a dedicated overarching regulatory framework, to instead placing primary responsibility on existing regulators. However, existing regulators are generally expected to respond despite limited or constrained resources. In this context, civil society and academic institutions play a critical role in identifying risks, evidencing risk and creating public awareness. This report is situated within that context, seeking to support CSO and social purpose organisations’ efforts through algorithm audit.
Benefits of algorithmic auditing for Australian social purpose organisations
- Increased accountability and transparency: Auditing enables CSOs to interrogate systems used by governments and private organisations, helping to surface hidden decision-making processes and hold institutions accountable to legal and ethical standards, including anti-discrimination and privacy law.
- Protection of vulnerable groups: Algorithmic systems can disproportionately affect children, women, and marginalised communities. Auditing helps identify these impacts and supports targeted interventions aligned with Australia’s human rights, online safety and privacy frameworks.
- Evidence-based advocacy: By generating empirical evidence of algorithmic harms—such as biased content recommendation or discriminatory profiling—CSOs can strengthen policy advocacy, regulatory engagement, and public awareness campaigns.
We invite civil society and for-purpose organisations across Australia to explore the report and begin their algorithmic audit journey.
Workshop expressions of interest
We will be running a workshop to provide more information to Australian CSOs about algorithm auditing, you can express interest in participating in that workshop by completing a short form.
