Quick answer
Most private companies need a reading of the National AI Plan and then their own short list. The APS, NSW, and AFP documents bind those bodies, and suppliers to those bodies.
Best for: an Australian company trying to close the right PDF. Honest limit: Cipher Projects is Australian-led, with engineers in Australia and Vietnam. We are not a law firm. This page sorts the documents. It does not tell you that you are compliant.
Last updated: 27 September 2026. Checked against the live government pages that day. The company short list lives on AI strategy for an Australian business.
What is the National AI Plan, in one screen?
The National AI Plan is the Australian Government’s plan for the economy. It was published on 2 December 2025. It has three goals: capture the opportunity, spread the benefits, and keep Australians safe.
It is the government’s plan, not yours. It says what the government will do. It does not pick your use cases, your vendors, or your build. Read it once, then write the short list on the AI strategy page.
Which documents can a private company ignore?
The Prime Minister’s statement and the Austrade launch note are the same agenda in another register. Skip both unless you are raising or exporting and need the investor wording.
The NSW AI Strategy is for NSW government. Ignore it unless you contract to NSW government or run in that jurisdiction’s programs.
The AFP AI Strategy 2026–28 is for the AFP. Ignore it unless you supply the AFP. Supplier detail is on what those plans require of a vendor.
The APS AI Plan is for Commonwealth agencies. Ignore it unless you sell to them.
The 21 July 2026 National AI Centre event was a past event with SMEC AI and Lee Hickin. It is proof the Centre framed the gap as strategy into SME capability. It is not a strategy. Do not treat the calendar page as a document you must align to.
| Document | Who it binds | Cutover for a private company |
|---|---|---|
| National AI Plan (2 Dec 2025) | Whole economy. Direction, not a company roadmap. | Read the three goals once. They do not choose your use cases. |
| Austrade launch note | Investors and offshore readers. | Skip unless you are raising or exporting. |
| PM statement | Public. | Skip. Same agenda, political register. |
| NAIC event, 21 Jul 2026 | Nobody. A past event. | Cite it as the Centre naming the SME gap. Do not summarise the evening. |
| APS AI Plan 2025 | Commonwealth agencies. | Read only if you sell to the APS. Detail is on the vendor page. |
| NSW AI Strategy | NSW government. | Ignore unless you contract to NSW government or run in that jurisdiction’s programs. |
| AFP AI Strategy 2026–28 | AFP. | Ignore unless you supply the AFP. Detail is on the vendor page. |
What still applies if you ignore the agency plans?
Existing law still applies. The 10 December 2026 disclosure applies if you are an APP entity. The six practices are the voluntary checklist boards ask for. The split between what is binding and what is only announced is on the 2026–2027 regulation timeline.
What should you do after you know which document is yours?
Go to the AI strategy page and write the short list: what to automate, what not to build, and which path. Get the short list if you want the worksheet. If the job is choosing a partner who will build it, use the Australia transformation guide.
FAQ
Is the National AI Plan a law? No. It is the government’s plan, published 2 December 2025. It does not certify a company.
Does the NSW AI strategy apply outside NSW government? No. It binds NSW government. A private company ignores it unless that company contracts to NSW government or runs in that jurisdiction’s programs.
Where is the page that tells our company what to do? AI strategy for an Australian business. This page only sorts the documents.