governance · City of Wanneroo
Wanneroo defers major risk reforms after committee flags complexity
The City of Wanneroo Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee sent four risk documents to a June or July workshop after saying the draft was too complex to adopt as written.
The City of Wanneroo Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee has deferred major changes to the council’s risk governance documents after members said the draft was too complex. The decision was made at the committee’s 18 May meeting at Council Chambers, Civic Centre, 23 Dundebar Road, Wanneroo.
The deferred items were the Enterprise Risk Management Framework, the Risk Appetite Statement, the Risk Assessment Criteria and Matrix, and the Enterprise Risk Management Policy.
A procedural motion said the package was not suitable for adoption in its current form because its “complexity, excessive granularity and multi-tiered structure” were likely to “weaken rather than strengthen governance” by diffusing accountability, limiting clear line-of-sight to the Strategic Community Plan, increasing administrative burden, and reducing the City’s ability to identify, oversee and respond to material and emerging risks in a clear, cohesive and operationally effective manner.
The motion sent the items to a workshop in June or July 2026 with consultant Jason Wilk, the independent committee members, and relevant City administration staff. It also specifically deferred Item 5.4, the review of the enterprise risk register.
The committee also received the Audit Plan for the year ending 30 June 2026. That motion passed 7-0.
The minutes say KPMG will undertake the statutory audit work on behalf of the Office of the Auditor General. The audited financial report, audit opinion and audit findings report are due back to the committee on 30 November 2026, with Council scheduled to consider adoption on 15 December 2026.
The committee also recommended to Council that Mr David Price be appointed Deputy of the Presiding Member.
In closed session, it received and accepted the internal audit report on Information System and Technology Project Management. The meeting also received legal updates on the Legal Proceedings Report.
Another confidential item, Flynn Drive Industrial Estate Neerabup - Deeds of Agreements, was referred to Council to consider Option 2 in the report.
The committee’s next workshop on the risk documents will revisit how the City frames risk appetite, assessment and escalation across the organisation.
Reference minutes
Source: City of Wanneroo Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee meeting minutes, 18 May 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- The meeting was held on 18 May 2026 at the Council Chambers, Civic Centre, 23 Dundebar Road, Wanneroo.
- The committee received the Audit Plan for the year ending 30 June 2026.
- The Audit Plan motion passed 7-0.
- The Enterprise Risk Management Framework, Risk Appetite Statement, Risk Assessment Criteria and Matrix, and Enterprise Risk Management Policy were deferred to a June or July 2026 workshop.
- The committee said the proposed framework was too complex and could weaken governance if adopted in its current form.
- Mr David Price was recommended to Council for appointment as Deputy of the Presiding Member.
- The Flynn Drive Industrial Estate, Neerabup deeds matter was referred to Council to consider Option 2.
Why it matters
- Wanneroo is pausing changes to the documents that guide how it manages risk, accountability and major decisions across the council.