Protecting the Stories That Shape Australian Childhoods
The Australian Children’s Television Foundation (ACTF) champions high-quality Australian children’s screen content that reflects our culture, values and stories. Through its work in funding, distribution, education and advocacy, ACTF helps ensure Australian children can see themselves, their communities and their experiences reflected on screen while sharing Australian stories with audiences locally and around the world.
Its work spans the development and support of much-loved Australian children’s content, including Round the Twist and Little Lunch, alongside educational resources, learning initiatives and programs that help educators and students engage with Australian stories in meaningful ways.
For ACTF, technology is more than operational infrastructure. It supports the creation, management, distribution and protection of valuable intellectual property, educational resources and organisational knowledge that underpin its purpose and impact.
Protecting Content, Information and Organisational Confidence
As ACTF’s reliance on cloud services, digital content platforms and collaborative technologies continued to grow, technology risk became a broader organisational responsibility.
Leadership wanted confidence that the information and digital assets supporting ACTF’s mission were being protected appropriately while still enabling innovation, collaboration and operational efficiency.
At the same time, the rapid emergence of Generative AI introduced new opportunities alongside new governance, privacy and security considerations. ACTF needed a trusted advisor who could help translate complex cyber security and information governance challenges into practical business decisions.
The challenge was not simply protecting systems. It was ensuring the organisation could confidently embrace new technologies while maintaining appropriate oversight of the information and digital assets that support its work.
“We’ve worked with RTG for over 20 years, and their role has evolved with our organisation. What started as technology support has grown into a trusted partnership that gives us clear advice, greater visibility of risk and access to specialist expertise when we need it.”
John Tyler, Head of Finance, ACTF
Building Confidence Through Governance and Resilience
RTG worked alongside ACTF to establish a practical and sustainable governance framework focused on cyber security, information management and organisational resilience.
Through regular risk reviews, governance reporting and strategic advisory services, ACTF gained a clearer understanding of technology, information and emerging technology risks across the organisation. Governance discussions moved beyond technical issues and became part of broader organisational decision-making.
Over time, the program expanded beyond traditional cyber security activities to include data governance initiatives, Information Security and Records Management policy development, phishing awareness campaigns, vulnerability assessments, disaster recovery testing, application governance reviews and Generative AI governance.
Together, these initiatives helped ACTF strengthen organisational resilience and build greater confidence in how technology and information risks were managed.
As Generative AI adoption accelerated, RTG also introduced AI governance and usage monitoring to help ACTF explore innovation responsibly while maintaining appropriate oversight and accountability. Internal project commentary confirms this initiative was proactively introduced and advised by RTG.
Creating Confidence Through Action
The most significant outcome was not simply stronger cyber security. It was stronger organisational confidence.
ACTF moved from managing technology and information risks through individual initiatives to operating within a structured governance framework. Formal policies, regular risk reviews, security testing and AI governance processes created a more consistent and sustainable approach to risk management. Supported by documented Information Security, Records Management and Data Governance activities.
Leadership gained greater assurance that technology, cyber security and information governance risks were being actively monitored and addressed. Risk discussions became more consistent, enabling better-informed decisions and clearer organisational ownership of risk.
Most importantly, responsibility for managing cyber, data and technology risks became embedded within normal business operations rather than residing solely within ICT functions.
“RTG feels like an extension of our team. They understand our environment, provide practical advice and work through issues with us in a way that has helped us become more proactive and more confident in how we manage technology.”
Mikhaila Mascarenhas, Assistant Finance Manager, ACTF
Building Resilience for the Future
Across 2025 and 2026, ACTF maintained a Low Cyber Risk profile while continuing to strengthen governance and security practices. RTG’s governance and security reports continued to identify opportunities for improvement while supporting ongoing maturity across cyber security, information governance and staff awareness.
Governance processes are now established for both cyber security and Generative AI oversight, providing a stronger foundation for evaluating new technologies and managing future risks. Monthly AI monitoring and reporting activities continue to support informed decision-making as technology adoption evolves.
Data governance initiatives, policy development, security testing and ongoing advisory services have helped create a more resilient operating environment and a more mature approach to managing organisational risk.
Most importantly, ACTF can continue focusing on its mission knowing the systems, information and digital assets that support its work are being actively protected and governed.
“Strong cyber security is built through consistent habits, not one-off activity. When organisations combine regular assessment, practical reporting and open conversations about risk, they create the visibility needed to make better decisions and keep improving over time.”
Mel Gillies, Director Consulting, Risk & Security, RTG
Supporting a Mission That Matters
For ACTF, technology is not the destination. It is part of the foundation that helps the organisation protect its work, support its people and continue creating impact for children and young people.
Through more than two decades of collaboration, RTG has evolved from technology provider to trusted advisor, helping ACTF strengthen governance, improve cyber resilience and navigate an increasingly complex technology landscape.
This has included supporting data governance initiatives, information security programs, policy development, cyber security awareness, Generative AI governance and ongoing risk management activities that help leadership make informed decisions with confidence.
The partnership demonstrates how effective technology governance can do more than reduce risk. It can strengthen organisational resilience, improve decision-making and provide confidence that the systems, information and intellectual property supporting an organisation’s mission are protected for the future.