Why Generative AI is becoming part of the infrastructure of work
At Deloitte Australia, this shift began a year ago with the launch of our in-house GenAI platform, MyAssist.
What started as a pilot with roughly 1300 users aimed at supporting tasks including research, analysis, data handling, and code development, has evolved into a foundational tool available to about 12,000 of our people across Australia, and used by more than half our workforce in their daily roles.
'In just 12 months, MyAssist has processed over 3.65 million questions and approximately 20 billion words – boosting productivity and transforming how our teams work,' says Slav Tabachnik, national GenAI transformation leader at Deloitte Australia.
'That includes everything from answering general productivity queries, to specifically changing ways we work in certain parts of our delivery life cycle, always within the boundaries of our security, privacy, and policy frameworks.'
Trusted AI that's built to work
MyAssist is built to meet Deloitte's standards and Australian data governance requirements, with all data stored locally and protected by robust security and access controls. It provides a secure, compliant environment for employees to confidently explore AI at work.
Building on this strong foundation of trustworthy AI, MyAssist also removes technical barriers, making AI accessible to all users regardless of coding ability. With just three simple steps, anyone can build custom AI applications.
For more advanced users, tools enable the creation of sophisticated apps with minimal coding effort. This design creates a trusted, flexible and scalable platform grounded in real-world work habits and empowers people to use AI as a genuine collaborator.
From general productivity to work redesign
What's especially powerful is how our teams leverage MyAssist creatively to solve specific business challenges.
Our Strategy, Risk & Transactions team launched a new business case developer app on MyAssist, a tool designed to bring structure and speed to early stage project planning.
By providing a clear framework for proposals, it helps improve quality and accelerate decision-making from the outset.
'We created the app to fast-track the initial stages of planning,' says Tom Abbot, Deloitte Australia director and app developer.
'It allows us to shape early ideas quickly and complete the first 20–30 per cent of a business case in hours rather than weeks.'
Another standout example is the statement of work (SOW) review tool, now widely adopted firm-wide. This tool helps draft SOWs in line with internal quality and risk policies, identifying potential risks early and significantly reducing review time.
'The SOW Reviewer provides immediate, specific feedback on scope, deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities,' says Sophie Andrews, Deloitte Australia director and developer behind the app.
'By reducing document review cycles and turnaround times, it allows teams to focus on tailoring details for each client – ultimately improving service quality.'
AI-powered innovation driving productivity
Across Deloitte, we've uncovered close to 100 high-impact MyAssist uses so far, and that number continues to grow each week.
The platform-based approach taken with MyAssist enables teams to drive ongoing innovation, enhance productivity and transform the way they work.
Audit teams are accelerating report analysis, completing work that once took weeks in less than a day.
Meanwhile, Tax & Legal professionals have reduced the time to draft R&D Tax Incentive applications by 40–50 per cent.
But the benefits go beyond efficiency. MyAssist enhances communication and collaboration. Its translation capabilities help multilingual teams work more seamlessly, while meeting summary and interview synthesis tools make it easier to distil insights from hours of audio.
Looking ahead, Deloitte is set to expand MyAssist with sophisticated agentic applications, multimodal text, image and voice processing capabilities and intelligent task automation – heralding a future where human-AI collaboration is further embedded into the way that we work.
The future of work is already here, reshaping business
Our experience and research show productivity platforms powered by GenAI – like MyAssist – are now table stakes for organisations. Those that haven't progressed with GenAI are falling behind.
GenAI is no longer a future promise, it's already reshaping Australian workplaces.
By automating routine tasks, GenAI is enabling people to concentrate on more complex, strategic work. This shift is happening now, reshaping processes and raising the bar for productivity and competitiveness.
As GenAI becomes deeply embedded in day-to-day operations, Australian organisations are rethinking how they use it to redefine their competitive edge and unlock new value.
The question is no longer if you will embrace GenAI, but how quickly?
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Disclaimer
This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional adviser.
Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication.
About Deloitte
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ('DTTL'), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. Please see www.deloitte.com/au to learn more.
Copyright © 2025 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.
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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Raise taxes to fix budget, Treasury advises Labor in accidentally published advice
The Albanese government has been advised the budget cannot be fixed without raising taxes and cutting spending, and that its housing target is unachievable. The ABC can reveal the advice, written by the independent Treasury and offered after Labor's re-election, warns the government's signature pledge to build 1.2 million homes over five years to address the housing crisis "will not be met". That declaration was one of several subheadings in a table of contents accidentally included in Treasury's response to an ABC freedom of information (FOI) request. Other subheadings reveal Treasury told Treasurer Jim Chalmers he would need to find "additional revenue and spending reductions" to meet his objective of a "sustainable" budget. The materials do not elaborate on which taxes could be raised, but suggest that Treasury canvassed "indirect taxes" and superannuation tax as possible targets, and that it appeared to favour lower taxes on companies and personal incomes. The department also briefed Mr Chalmers on its assessment of the consequences for Australia if there is a global loss of confidence in the US dollar or the independence of the US Federal Reserve, along with a framework for a crisis response in such a scenario. The materials come from Treasury's "incoming government" brief to the department's ministers, including Mr Chalmers and Housing Minister Clare O'Neil. Those briefs are routinely prepared by all departments during election campaigns, with no input or visibility from the ministers, and with an alternative version drafted for the opposition. They include the department's advice about how to implement and add to each party's agenda, and its assessment of looming challenges. Journalists can request the briefing given to the winning party through the FOI process, but often receive a heavily redacted copy, as was the case in this instance. But the document emailed to the ABC mistakenly included headings and subheadings from the redacted sections, revealing sensitive elements of Treasury's briefing which the department did not want to make public. Treasury asked that the document be deleted after realising the error, but the ABC has decided to publish it because it provides a rare insight into how top advisers view the major economic and policy challenges facing the Albanese government as it begins its second term in power, and so is in the public interest. Steven Kennedy, who was Treasury secretary when the briefs were prepared, now leads the prime minister's department. Treasury advised that "improvements to the budget will need to come from economic growth, additional revenue and spending reductions" and that "tax should be raised as part of broader tax reform". Mr Chalmers has since declared an appetite for tax reform reaching beyond Labor's election platform, and will hold a roundtable in August with tax on the agenda, saying proposals should improve the budget bottom line, or at least be budget neutral. The government also plans to double the earnings tax on super balances above $3 million. The reforms were introduced to parliament last term but are yet to be legislated amid debate about indexation of the threshold and whether the tax should capture "unrealised" gains in asset value. Under the heading "opportunities to build on your agenda", Treasury gave advice about "building on" Labor's superannuation tax changes, but the heading does not reveal what was advised. Other headings suggest Treasury favours lower taxes on individual and company incomes, advising on "rebalancing" personal income tax "to increase workforce participation and give workers a fair go", and "modernising" business tax to boost investment. It suggests reform to "support budget repair", consistent with Labor's agenda, could be implemented through "the indirect tax system", a broad group of taxes including fuel excise, cigarette tax, state and territory stamp duty and land tax, and the GST. The treasurer and prime minister have both fielded questions about whether they plan to raise GST through the roundtable process, both signalling reluctance but adding they are happy for contributors, including business, unions and experts, to raise any idea. The department also advised Mr Chalmers and Ms O'Neil that the 1.2 million homes target "would not be met" and floated changing it, advising the government to "build on [its] agenda" by crafting a "coherent and well-prioritised" housing agenda. There has been substantial public commentary about the viability of the target, with housing completions so far well off track, and the ministers have described the target as "ambitious" but maintained it can be met. Ms O'Neil was presented with a range of options to support the construction of more housing, including using the migration and skills system to boost the construction workforce, and using its existing policy of grants to state and territories to better "leverage" them to boost building rates. Treasury also briefed the minister on the "dysfunctional" funding model for the infrastructure that "enables" the construction of new housing, such as pipes and sewers, which was a key Coalition election policy. It also identified "challenges" with the "responsiveness… capability… [and] speed" of key housing agency Housing Australia and suggests "steps to improve oversight and re-set the relationship with the CEO and Board" of the body. The headings did not name any specific issues with the agency or explicitly state that there were any, but suggested a "review". The materials also reveal Treasury has modelled a variety of world crises originating in the United States, appearing to suggest concern about the actions of the Trump administration. "The global economic outlook has rapidly deteriorated, with implications for Australia," the department advised Mr Chalmers. Treasury presented scenarios including a loss of confidence in the US dollar as the global reserve currency and the independence of its central bank, the Federal Reserve. The headings do not reveal the details or assessments about the likelihood of these scenarios, which range from a milder "escalating tariff scenario" to more serious "financial disruption" and "worst case" scenarios. The financial disruption scenario includes an increase in US sovereign risk — the interest charged on US government borrowing, reflecting the market's assessment of the safety of the dollar — of two percentage points, proposing a tiered Australian response in the event of a "severe downturn". US President Donald Trump has repeatedly insulted Fed chair Jerome Powell and vowed to replace him with someone who will cut interest rates when his term expires this year. Treasury officials have previously discussed their assessment of the consequences of a trade war and warned of the risks of broader financial uncertainty, and Mr Chalmers released some trade-related modelling during the election campaign. That modelling found only modest impact on the Australian economy from a trade war. Treasury's modelling of more serious scenarios was accompanied by a proposed "framework" for a stimulus response, including "direct support" (e.g. cash payments) and "liquidity support" to calm financial markets — a similar response to those used during the 2008-09 Global Financial Crisis. A spokesperson for Mr Chalmers said the government would not "go into the detail" of Treasury's briefings. "Of course Treasury provides advice for incoming governments … We've already made it clear we'll need to do more to meet our housing goals and make our economy more productive and our budget sustainable," the spokesperson said. "These issues were a focus of the treasurer's recent address to the National Press Club and we will grapple with some of them at the upcoming roundtable." Mr Chalmers has also repeatedly highlighted global volatility as an economic risk, including in the context of the Trump administration's trade restrictions. "The uncertainty, volatility and unpredictability in the global environment I think will be the biggest influence that will shape and constrain the government's choices in this term," he said in an interview on Sky News on Sunday.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Fearless and free, the Treasury isn't holding back — and that's good for everyone
At first glance they don't look like much — succinct headlines prepared for Jim Chalmers by Treasury following Labor's May election win. We haven't been given access to the full text of each chapter, but the headlines alone give a rare insight into what Treasury thinks are the big economic challenges facing Australia. They are there in black and white — raising broad and important issues. You want the budget to be sustainable? Let's look at lifting taxes. There's a need to cut spending. Your key election promise, to build 1.2 million homes? "Won't be met." When I requested the incoming government brief prepared by Treasury for Jim Chalmers, I was hoping for an insight into the economic challenges and opportunities facing the nation. That's what we got. But you're only reading about it because a staffer forgot to remove a hard-to-find key section. Then, having made that mistake, requests to have the ABC delete the document helped to highlight there was something there. Freedom of Information or FOI is a system that allows anyone access to documents created by government departments and agencies. The overwhelming majority of requests are people seeking information about themselves and their interactions with government departments. At a federal level this means the Department of Home Affairs (visas) and Services Australia, which administers Centrelink. At a state level requests to the health sector and law enforcement agencies dominate because they are very "public facing" and create and store large amounts of personal information about individuals. If you search "FOI" on their websites, you'll find out how to make a claim. However, another element is that FOI is used by journalists, researchers and members of parliament to find out more about topics they are interested in. The immense restrictions of what they can seek, and the broad ability of the decision-makers to redact information has given it a joke name amongst these groups: FFI — Freedom From Information. Before every election, federal government departments create a brief for the incoming minister. Because they don't know what the result will be, they typically create a so-called "Red Book" in the event of a Labor win, and a "Blue Book" in the event of a Coalition win. (Don't bother trying to get the brief prepared for the loser of the election. A colleague took that one all the way to the High Court and lost.) Each of them sets outs the current state of the sector covered by the department, and how the election promises of the winning party could be enacted. It is routine for journalists at different outlets to submit an FOI request for the "incoming government brief". One day in May I sat down and sent off about 60 requests to different departments and agencies. My FOI application to Treasury was made on May 14. Barely two weeks later — this is lightning speed in FOI land — I received a "Notice of Decision" and a 111-page document. But there's a reason it was so fast. It was basically empty. The brief is filled with obvious information — Michele Bullock is the governor of the Reserve Bank, with a short biography and her contact details (which are redacted). There is more information about Treasury's physical offices, their locations and the staff there. A list of committees and agencies and the expiry dates of their chair's terms. Again, nothing that gives us any insight into Treasury's thinking or concerns about the economy. I file it and move on. But, on June 11 I receive an email saying Treasury sent the wrong document. "The version sent contains a limited amount of exempt and confidential information. Our sincere apologies for this oversight. A replacement version is attached," it wrote, asking me to delete copies of the original. The idea that they wanted to redact even more made me chuckle. The next day another email. "For record keeping purposes, could you please confirm by close of business today (Thursday, 12 June) that you have deleted the earlier version of the documents and won't report on or reproduce it." Treasury's request that I delete the document only served to renew my interest. Perhaps I'd missed something? So, using two computer screens, I slowly — half-page-by-half-page — compared the original document (May 30) and the "replacement" (June 11). I can find no differences in the two documents. I even tried the "cut and paste" technique that derailed last year's Victorian high school exams. In it, the department either changed the colour of the text to transparent or put a "white box" over it. Enterprising students selected the text into a new document and were able to read it. For me, nothing. Other colleagues join the search and come up blank. Eventually, a colleague in Brisbane finds what Treasury are so concerned about. The first version of the document sent to me on May 30 includes what is essentially a table of contents, for what is in the entirely redacted briefs discussing policy for Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Housing Minister Clare O'Neil. They provide fascinating insights into Treasury's thinking on some of the key economic challenges facing Australia, and it's for that reason that the ABC decided to publish them. Treasury said to achieve a sustainable budget "tax should be raised as part of broader tax reform". Currently, the government spends more money that it receives. "Reform of the tax system is necessary to strengthen economic resilience and the fiscal position." A key part of that would be the GST, described in the brief as "reforming the indirect tax system" to support "budget repair" and the sustainability of the federal and state governments. Any rise in the GST would be politically contentious because poorer people pay more as a percentage of their income, but economists and other commentators suggest ours is low compared to similar nations. Our GST is also confusing, excluding items like fresh food adds complexity to administering it. Any extension of the GST would no doubt be coupled with support for low-income earners and welfare recipients. Income tax will also need to be "rebalanced" to get more people into the workforce by lowering the barriers and to "give workers a fair go". Changes to the amount we rely on income tax would bring us closer to those of other OECD countries. It would also acknowledge our aging population — which will likely reduce the percentage of the population who are working and earning, over time. And while the current changes to superannuation tax are controversial, the bookmarks suggest options to "build upon" them. The bookmarks don't tell us how Treasury thinks Mr Chalmers can do this, but the fact they appear to be floating options in this space is substantial. Some of the brief addresses the growing issue of Australia not having — or building — enough homes to house its population. The housing minister is advised to use the migration and skills systems to boost the construction workforce, and using more "leverage" over states to build more houses. Ultimately, Treasury appears to suggest the states and territories might need to change how they do things. "Leverage existing policies and commitments to incentivise state and territory reform," it writes. The detail of what that means is not included in the documents seen by the ABC. Housing Australia is the independent national housing agency. When it was created in 2018 under the former Coalition government, it was called National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC). Treasury calls out issues with the body. Under the heading of opportunities for policy reform, it suggests a deep look at the agency. "Review Housing Australia," the heading reads, before a further note gives homework to the new housing minister, Ms O'Neil. "Take steps to improve oversight and reset the relationship with the CEO and board". The brief lists three key challenges with the agency in charge of the government's multi-billion-dollar social housing construction scheme. All three, listed below and quoted directly from the brief, are serious: It also pointed to the "dysfunctional" present arrangements for funding infrastructure to "enable" new housing. The document describes that funding — which is for works such as pipes, sewers and connecting roads — as a "barrier" before a heading about "funding enabling infrastructure more sustainably". This is potentially embarrassing because a key election platform of the Coalition was a $5 billion fund to do exactly that. The government set aside $500 million over the last two financial years to help state and local governments deliver new housing developments. Another $1 billion was already provided to state and territory governments for infrastructure to enable social housing specifically. That money was given to jurisdictions on a per-person basis. There's lots more in the documents, about global trade, about US President Donald Trump, about the future of AI and "climate-related risks". This is all stuff Treasury should be worried about. It is. The difference is now we've seen it written down. Many of the revelations in the incoming government briefs for Mr Chalmers and Ms O'Neil won't be a shock to seasoned news watchers. For example, to hit the 1.2 million new homes target we need to massively boost the number of dwellings being approved to be built and then constructed. But the most recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows the number of houses being approved is below the number in 2012. Not only is that the same as a time when Australia had a much smaller population, it's nowhere near the boost required. As another example, the US dollar has been falling as investors grow increasingly uncertain about the chaos and uncertainty of United States' economic policy. It's no shock that Treasury is modelling the impact of this. So are super funds, banks, traders, anyone with their eyes open to the impact on the global economy of Mr Trump's policy choices. Treasury is deeply engaged on the biggest economic issues facing Australia It's also unafraid of telling its boss hard truths: such as the fact the government's key election promise about housing will fail, or that the relationship with the body overseeing housing needs to be "reset". Treasury might not have wanted you to read these notes, but it should give taxpayers and citizens confidence it is holding fearless and tough conversations with the people making the decisions.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Shock revelation as NRLW's youngest captain defies odds
In a bold move that defies the odds, the NRLW's youngest captain is proving why she's not just a leader on the field but a visionary off it too. Zali Hopkins is part of a new breed of sportspeople planning for life after sport super early despite a shocking pay disparity and insufficient financial education for young players. She built her first investment property the year after she debuted for the St George Illawarra Dragons Women's side that she now co-captains – choosing to go interstate to Queensland for great value and strong returns in partnership with her mum. Builder's epic $740k council fine for daughter's cubby house 'It's important to me not just as an investment, but as a step toward long-term stability beyond my playing career,' she told The Courier-Mail. She called on clubs to step up educational efforts for players so they could build a future outside sport. 'While we are often supported in developing sport-specific or performance-related skills, there is limited guidance when it comes to financial literacy or investing.' she said. 'This is an area where clubs could step in and provide structured support, helping players build long-term financial security. Cash-strap student turns $40k to 38 homes The NRLW fullback is one of 22 sportspeople partnering with full service buyer's agency Prpty360 to invest their earnings into property, including Broncos coach Michael Maguire and second rower Jordan Riki. Agency director Julian Fadini said it was harder for women in sports, being paid much less than men, so investing early was a wise move. 'Because Zali is early on in her career, she needed a high performing asset that has rental income to help cover costs for holding.' 'With Zali we identified the area because of its entry point in terms of the affordability, and the other part was the prospects for growth.' Ms Hopkins and her mum bought a block of land in Cairns in 2021, paying $228,000 before going on to build a four-bedroom house on it which was completed a year and a half later. 'The entry point was perfect for my mum and I, and the rent was so high that it almost covered the mortgage,' Ms Hopkins said. 'The area we bought in was close to the water, and it has a lot to offer lifestyle-wise'. 'My advice to others — especially NRLW players — is to work hard, stay focused, and if possible, try to save a portion of your salary.' 'Investing in property can be a smart long-term move. Set goals that are realistic and achievable, and start planning early. It's never too soon to think about your future beyond the game.' Her Cairns property now rents $670 a week, but property data shows it could fetch as high as $864 a week given how dire the housing supply situation has become in Far North Queensland. Its value has also jumped to $800,000 in less than two years since it was built. Mr Fadini said her property was performing 'extremely well'. 'The lifestyle appeal of the area is as good as it gets. She's very close to millionaires and multi-millionaires row and very close to the marina and the water.' He said athletes in particular were very young when they first came into huge contracts, and there was a growing focus on players' agents not just securing their contracts and playing career but also making sure players don't retire without any money afterwards. 'Our athletes are hitting their big contracts in their early 20s,' he said. 'Of all the kids that go out and play rugby league on a weekend, a very small percentage of those will make it into what's considered the first step, which would be like an $80,000 contract or $120,000 contract to play, and then a vast majority of them will not go any further than that.' 'The ones that do make it through will go from $80-120k to $250k all the way up to $750,000 or potentially more.' 'It turns out that we're the guys that they turned to invest the young players' money into real estate. And we were carefully watched for about two years and thoroughly checked out before we received our first set of football clients. And then, we've just grown from there.' Ms Hopkins said she would love to be able to buy in Sydney one day too, with property remaining a firm part of her post-sport plan. 'My goal is to purchase another property independently by the end of this year. It's something I've been working towards by staying disciplined with my finances, saving consistently and setting realistic targets.' Mr Fadini said they generally recommended clients buy properties that appeal to owner-occupiers, even if they never intended to live there themselves. 'What we typically work on are houses that have four bedrooms, two bathrooms and double lockup garages. That's what we find is the best to buy as they are suitable to owner-occupiers and families. Investors come and go from the market, but owner occupiers are consistent, and they are the ones that drive price growth. It's fundamental for us.'
