Two Independent Law Firms Appointed To Probe Home Affairs AI Policy Document Scandal

The Department of Home Affairs has brought in two independent law firms to review its policy documents following the discovery that Artificial Intelligence (AI) was used to compile references in a critical government paper.

The move comes after two senior officials were suspended when AI-generated citations were identified in a Cabinet-approved revised white paper dealing with citizenship, immigration, and refugee protection.

In an official statement, the department indicated that the questionable references appear to have been added after the core document had already been completed.

Home Affairs Suspends Officials Over AI-Generated References

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber issued an apology, acknowledging a lapse in oversight after it emerged that the reference section of the policy document had been produced using AI tools.

Despite the controversy, the department has stressed that the primary content of the document remains sound, with only the references deemed problematic.

Two senior officials have been suspended for compiling the AI-generated reference list, while a third has been disciplined for failing to ensure adequate oversight during the process.

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To address the issue, two independent law firms have been appointed to oversee disciplinary proceedings and conduct a comprehensive review of all policy documents developed by the department since 2022.

This review aims to assess whether similar issues may exist in other official documents and to reinforce accountability within the department’s internal processes.

The Department of Communications, led by a Democratic Alliance minister, remains under scrutiny after it was revealed that AI tools were used in drafting the national AI policy.