š„ NSW Just Launched an āOffice for AIā ā But Gave It No New Money
Nov 3
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The State that already harmed injured people with unregulated automation now plans to āgovern AIā using the loose change in its digital drawer.
Last week the NSW Government confirmed the creation of a new Office for AI, a unit that will advise (not regulate) government departments on responsible use of artificial intelligence.
But hereās the part not in the press release:
The office will receive no special funding.
It will be staffed "within existing resources."
It will not run or oversee AI systems itself.
It will simply guide departments already deploying AI.
š Source: iTnews, 31 Oct 2025
What the Government Says
The new Director, Daniel Roelink, posted:
āIt will take a period to establish the office, after which our focus will turn to real-world implementation ā setting guardrails, building capability, and promoting best practice so AI delivers benefits for all.ā
Sounds reassuring until you look at the structure.
What the Government Did Not Say
This office does not regulate AI.
It does not investigate harms or breaches.
It has no direct enforcement power.
It is not resourced to audit AI systems currently operating inside agencies like icare, SIRA, or SafeWork NSW.
It is a 2-year trial, not a permanent watchdog.
It sits inside Digital NSW, part of the Department of Customer Service (est. 2019) ā the agency responsible for delivering āa more consistent and efficient digital experienceā across government, not regulating emerging technology
So the State that still hasnāt audited its own AI-style decision engines in workersā compensationā¦ā¦has now created a unit to advise the rest of government on āresponsible AIā ā without a dollar of additional funding.
Meanwhile, globallyā¦
The EU is enforcing the AI Act.
The US has issued Executive Orders on AI accountability.
The UK has launched AI Safety Institutes with specialist teams and budgets.
Canada is building audit and redress frameworks.
NSW? A 2-year pilot team with no budget, no enforcement powers, and no mandate to protect the public from harm already happening.
š„ The real headline isnāt the office. Itās this:
NSW is preparing for the AI future with the same budget it uses to run SharePoint workshops.
That isnāt strategy. That is denial ā bureaucratised.
Because if the future runs on AI, and the State runs it on leftoversā¦
who do you think pays the price when it goes wrong?
