Our work
Our fraud and corruption business area responds to:
- serious or complex fraud against the Australian Government
- corruption by Australian Government employees
- foreign bribery
- intellectual property crime
- complex identity crime.
We are part of a range of multi-agency taskforces that combat fraud and corruption.
Taskforce Integrity
We work with Services Australia to investigate serious fraud and identity crime in Australia’s welfare system.
Our joint operation is known as Taskforce Integrity.
It focuses on criminal networks and individuals who steal identities to hijack payments. It also looks at people on welfare with large amounts of unexplained wealth.
The taskforce can recover debts by:
- stopping a person leaving the country through a departure prohibition order
- seizing and selling assets
- taking money through bank accounts, wages and tax refunds.
If the taskforces finds evidence of a crime, it refers the matter to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
Fraud Fusion Taskforce
The Fraud Fusion Taskforce investigates fraud across government services, focusing on the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Members include:
- the AFP
- the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA)
- Services Australia
- law enforcement agencies and regulators.
It allows us to share intelligence about and respond to welfare fraud, especially if committed by serious and organised crime bodies.
Serious Financial Crime Taskforce
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) heads up the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce, which focuses on:
- cybercrime that affects the tax and superannuation systems
- offshore tax evasion
- illegal phoenix activity.
The AFP sits on the taskforce, along with:
- ACIC
- the Attorney-General's Department
- AUSTRAC
- ASIC
- the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions
- the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, which includes the Australian Border Force
- Services Australia.
National Anti-Corruption Commission
The National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022 (Cth) established the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
This independent agency detects, investigates and reports on serious or systemic corrupt conduct in the Australian Government public sector, including the Australian Parliament.
When requested, we provide specialist capability assistance to support the NACC’s investigations.
International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre
We are a member of the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre, which provides coordinated support for global law enforcement agencies to investigate grand corruption offences such as:
- bribery of public officials
- embezzlement
- abuse of function
- laundering of the proceeds of crime.
Find out more about what we do.
