Strengthening strategic risk management and oversight

 

Overview

A regional Queensland local government authority engaged BDO to undertake a strategic risk review to ensure its risk management framework remained aligned to organisational priorities, governance obligations and an evolving operating environment.

With extensive experience supporting Queensland councils, BDO worked alongside senior executives and elected representatives to identify emerging strategic risks, challenge existing assumptions and strengthen risk oversight practices. The engagement was designed to provide practical, actionable insights that would support informed decision-making and build confidence in the organisation's strategic risk management approach.

Delivery

BDO applied a collaborative, evidence-based methodology, drawing on extensive experience delivering risk advisory, internal audit and governance services across the local government sector.

Our approach included:

• Stakeholder engagement and risk discovery: Engaging with senior leaders to understand strategic priorities, key challenges and the organisation's risk landscape
• Facilitated executive and councillor workshops: Designing and leading interactive workshops that promoted robust discussion around strategic risks and emerging threats
• Strategic risk assessment: Reviewing existing strategic risks and identifying new and emerging risks through BDO's structured risk assessment methodology
• Risk framework enhancement: Updating the strategic risk register and providing practical recommendations to strengthen risk governance, monitoring and reporting
• Leadership-focused reporting: Delivering clear, actionable findings and recommendations to support leadership decision-making and future risk management activities.

Outcome

The engagement provided the organisation with a stronger foundation for strategic risk management by:

• Establishing a refreshed and more comprehensive view of its strategic risk profile
• Strengthening organisational understanding of strategic risks across leadership and governance groups
• Providing practical recommendations to enhance risk oversight, monitoring and decision-making processes
• Delivering a fit-for-purpose strategic risk register to support ongoing governance and risk management activities
• Building greater confidence in the organisation's ability to proactively identify, assess and respond to strategic risks.

Client feedback

“Mitch and Matt were very professional and very patient with working around ELT's schedule. The end product was exactly what we were looking for and their engagements with ELT and Councillors were well received.”

— Client representative, regional Queensland local government authority

 

How BDO can help

BDO is a trusted adviser to local government organisations across Queensland, helping councils strengthen governance, risk management and organisational performance. Our team combines deep technical expertise with practical local government experience to deliver tailored solutions that improve decision-making, enhance accountability and support long-term organisational resilience.

From strategic risk reviews and enterprise risk management frameworks to internal audit, governance reviews and controls assurance, we help councils navigate complexity and confidently manage the risks that matter most.

Contact us to learn how BDO's risk advisory team can support your organisation.