Our Services
Lift Strategic helps organisation reduce risk and strengthen governance frameworks.
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Our services include independent investigations, governance support, and strategic communications for effective issues management.
Investigations
Navigating the challenging and sensitive landscape of workplace issues can be difficult, and is often best addressed through the engagement of an outside, independent investigator.
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With a background as a police officer, lawyer, and former deputy commissioner and commissioner of anti-corruption agencies, Lift Strategic director, Michael Riches, has extensive experience in conducting independent investigations.
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Michael approaches every investigation with a sharp attention to detail and unwavering impartiality, ensuring all parties are treated with respect and due process. The focus is always on uncovering facts and presenting them clearly to empower organisations to make well-informed decisions.
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As a former litigation lawyer, Michael understands the importance of conducting efficient yet meticulous inquiries for the purposes of informing current or potential litigation. Michael brings his investigation and legal knowledge to bear in every engagement, placing legal representatives in the best position possible to provide well-considered and informed litigation advice to their clients.
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Workplace issues—especially complex or sensitive ones—require more than just a process. They demand trust, clarity, and a deep understanding of people.
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Both Michael and Lift Strategic are licensed to carry out investigations in South Australia under the Security and Investigation Industry Act 1995 (SA).
Evaluations
Our evaluations of practices, policies and procedures provides a robust, independent review of your organisation’s integrity framework. We can deliver a comprehensive appraisal of your core operational pillars—including governance, human resources, asset management and information management—to identify and remedy systemic weaknesses.
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Our process is not a one-size-fits-all solution. We will partner with you to tailor every stage to your needs, ensuring maximum relevance and impact.
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We will work with you to set the scope of the evaluation, which could be a broad organisation wide review, or it might focus on specific high risk areas like procurement, financial delegations, or a particular department.
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Our analysis and reporting will align with your priorities. For a public body, we can focus on legislative compliance; for a private company, the emphasis might be on internal ethics codes and operational efficiency. You can also dictate the format of the final report, requesting interim briefings or deep-dive sections on critical issues.
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This collaborative and flexible approach ensures the final recommendations are not just best practice, but are practical, actionable, and directly address the risks most pertinent to your organisation. By investing in a tailored evaluation, you are proactively investing in your organisation’s success.
Policy Review and Development
Worried your policies are outdated or misaligned with regulations and best practices? We provide expert policy advice to take that burden off your shoulders. Lift will review your existing frameworks, identify vulnerabilities, and develop clear, fit-for-purpose policies tailored to your risks and sector.
Great policies mean little if they don’t translate into practice. We can also assess how well your policies are implemented, highlight the gaps, and support you through embedding improvements via training, communication, and hands-on support.
Adverse Event Review
When something goes wrong, understanding the full picture is critical. Traditional investigations often focus on blame - but misconduct, error, or failure rarely happen in isolation; they stem from multiple, interconnected causes. Our expert policy knowledge and investigative skills will ensure you uncover the root causes of adverse events and identify meaningful, practical solutions. Through independent investigations, our approach helps you stay ahead of external scrutiny, learn from the past, and implement changes that prevent future issues. Let’s turn insight into action— before problems escalate.
Strategic Communications
We help you communicate clearly, especially when it matters most. From simplifying complex information for staff or public audiences to managing sensitive issues with stakeholders or the media, we provide expert policy advice and bring calm, strategic guidance to every communication challenge. Whether it’s internal messaging, website content, or high-stakes issues management, including independent investigations, we ensure your message is understood, trusted, and aligned with your values.
Education and Training
Prevent problems before they start.
Policies and procedures are only as effective as the people who apply them. If your team doesn’t understand their responsibilities—or why they matter—your organisation is vulnerable to corruption, misconduct, and maladministration.
At Lift Strategic, we believe prevention starts with education and expert policy advice. With decades of frontline experience, our directors, Michael and Tracy, have trained and advised thousands across the public and private sectors. We deliver engaging, practical training tailored to your needs—whether it’s building a culture of integrity, navigating independent investigations, or strengthening compliance through strategic communications.
Our sessions are clear, relevant, and empowering—designed to give your people the confidence to act with integrity and accountability every day.
Good governance begins with informed people. Let us help you get there.