What is The Australian Governance System?
The Australian Governance System (TAGS) is a comprehensive, practical governance system designed for boards and chief executive officers of Australian community businesses (Not-For-Profits). Developed by Australian Strategic Services and refined across thousands of board engagements over more than 30 years, TAGS turns governance theory into governance practice. It gives a board everything it needs to govern well, in one integrated system, customised to the organisation that uses it.
TAGS is the system many community-business boards turn to when they recognise that good governance is not a checklist but a way of working, and they want a coherent, sector-tested foundation rather than an assembly of generic templates pulled from the internet.
What TAGS includes
TAGS is built from seven integrated components that together cover every dimension of board governance:
- Governance Principles. The foundational principles that define what good governance means for a community business and how a board exercises its authority and stewardship.
- Policies and Procedures. The full set of board governance policies and procedures, written for community businesses and ready to be customised to the specific organisation.
- Governance Measures. The indicators a board uses to monitor its own performance and the performance of the organisation, together with the chief executive officer.
- Tools and Templates. Practical instruments for board work, including charters, agendas, papers, decision frameworks and review instruments.
- Packages and Manuals. Bundled resources for specific governance tasks, including induction, board renewal, performance evaluation and risk.
- Articles and Models. Reference material that supports directors, chairs and CEOs in understanding the why behind the practice.
- Continuous updates. New governance documents, resources and tools are continuously developed and forwarded to organisations using TAGS.
How TAGS is deployed
TAGS is implemented through a facilitated community-governance workshop. The workshop is the only practical way to turn governance theory into board practice: it walks the board through the governance system, customises the framework to the organisation, and builds the shared understanding that lets the board govern as a team.
The workshop is delivered by an Australian Strategic Services consultant working with the board, chair and chief executive officer. After the workshop, the customised TAGS resources are owned and used by the organisation, and can be housed within the organisation’s Quality Management System.
Who TAGS is for
TAGS is built for boards and chief executive officers of community businesses (Not-For-Profits), including organisations operating in aged care, disability, health, community services, mental health, family and children’s services, advocacy and peak bodies, faith-based organisations, sport and recreation, education and training, and housing.
It is equally suited to long-established boards looking to lift their governance practice, and to newer organisations putting a governance framework in place for the first time.
Why TAGS matters
Community businesses face increasing scrutiny from members, regulators, funders and the people they serve. The governance system a board operates with shapes the decisions it makes, the questions it asks, and the standards it upholds. TAGS gives boards a system that:
- Improves the way the board governs.
- Can be fully customised by the board or governance committee.
- Provides practical, easy-to-use governance documents, resources and tools.
- Supports the organisation’s compliance with quality systems, standards, legislation, contracts, accreditation, registration, certification and quality assurance.
- Addresses governance requirements of industry and sector standards, including aged care standards, disability standards, palliative care standards, training standards, employment standards, community care standards, sport and recreation standards, education standards, community health and health standards, and accommodation and housing standards.
- Aligns with quality frameworks including ISO, ABEF, AQTF, QICSA, IMF and AS/NZ:4801.
- Exceeds governance requirements for tenders and Requests for Tender (RFTs).
TAGS has supported many organisations to win regional, state and national business excellence and governance awards, but the more important measure is what it does day to day: it gives a board confidence that the way it is governing is fit for the organisation it serves.