governance · City of Wanneroo
Wanneroo defers risk framework overhaul for workshop review
The City of Wanneroo deferred adoption of its enterprise risk documents after committee members said the draft framework was too complex for approval in its current form.
The City of Wanneroo has pushed its enterprise risk framework overhaul back to a June or July workshop, after the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee met on 18 May at Council Chambers, Civic Centre, 23 Dundebar Road, Wanneroo.
A procedural motion moved by Mr Phillip Draber and seconded by Ms Shona Zulsdorf carried unanimously, deferring items 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 and 5.4.
Those items covered the Enterprise Risk Management Framework, the Risk Appetite Statement, the Risk Assessment Criteria and Matrix, the Enterprise Risk Management Policy, and the updated Enterprise Risk Register.
The committee said the proposed framework was not suitable for adoption in its current form. In the minutes, the reason given was that its complexity, excessive granularity and multi-tiered structure were likely to weaken governance rather than strengthen it.
The workshop will include consultant Jason Wilk, the independent Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee members, Ms Zulsdorf and Mr Draber, other committee members and relevant City administration staff.
Before the deferrals, the committee received the Audit Plan for the year ending 30 June 2026. That motion, moved by Cr Seif and seconded by Ms Zulsdorf, carried unanimously 7-0.
The plan says the Office of the Auditor General’s audit work, through KPMG, is expected to return to the committee on 30 November 2026, with Council due to consider the audited annual financial report and auditors’ findings on 15 December 2026.
In a separate confidential item, the committee received and accepted an internal audit report on information system and technology project management. The report was prepared by Paxon Group.
The committee also received legal updates in a confidential Legal Proceedings Report.
Another confidential matter, Flynn Drive Industrial Estate, Neerabup, Deeds of Agreement, was referred to Council to consider Option 2 in the report.
Reference minutes
This story is based on the City of Wanneroo Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee minutes for 18 May 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- The Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee met on 18 May 2026 at the Council Chambers, Civic Centre, 23 Dundebar Road, Wanneroo.
- Items 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 and 5.4 were deferred to a June or July 2026 workshop.
- The deferred items were the Enterprise Risk Management Framework, Risk Appetite Statement, Risk Assessment Criteria and Matrix, Enterprise Risk Management Policy, and the updated Enterprise Risk Register.
- The committee said the proposed framework was too complex and not suitable for adoption in its current form.
- The Audit Plan for the year ending 30 June 2026 was received unanimously, 7-0.
- The Flynn Drive Industrial Estate, Neerabup deeds of agreement matter was referred to Council to consider Option 2.
- The committee recommended Mr David Price as Deputy of the Presiding Member.
Why it matters
- Wanneroo has delayed a major rewrite of the rules that guide how it identifies, grades and manages risk across projects, services and operations. The committee also moved a confidential Flynn Drive Industrial Estate matter up to Council and accepted an internal audit on technology project management.