2 Overview of the AFP

Role and Functions

The AFP is the Australian Government’s primary law enforcement agency. Its role is to enforce Commonwealth criminal law, contribute to combating organised crime and protect Commonwealth interests from criminal activity in Australia and overseas as a key member of the national security community. The AFP leads and contributes to many whole-of-government national security initiatives.

Section 8 of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (Cth) (the AFP Act) outlines the functions of the AFP, which are:

• the provision of police services in relation to the laws of the Commonwealth and the property of the Commonwealth (including Commonwealth places) and the safeguarding of Commonwealth interests
• the provision of police services in relation to the Australian Capital Territory, the Jervis Bay Territory and Australia’s external territories (Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island)
• the provision of protective and custodial functions as directed by the Minister
• the provision of police services and police support services to assist or cooperate with an Australian or foreign law enforcement agency, intelligence or security agency, or government regulatory agency
• the provision of police services and police support services to establishing, developing and monitoring peace, stability and security in foreign countries.

Strategic Priorities

The AFP’s strategic priorities are determined in accordance with section 8 of the AFP Act and the Ministerial Direction issued on 12 May 2014 under section 37(2) of the AFP Act. The Ministerial Direction notes that the AFP is the Australian Government’s primary law enforcement agency and identifies a number of key strategic priorities:

• countering the threat of terrorism and violent extremism to the safety and security of Australians and Australian interests, inside and outside Australia
• preventing, deterring, disrupting and investigating serious and organised criminal activities impacting on the interests of the Australian community, including through collaborating with state and territory law enforcement to ensure that they have access to Commonwealth intelligence and operational resources
• maintaining focus on investigating Commonwealth offences, particularly those relating to firearms and foreign bribery
• leading the Commonwealth’s efforts to disrupt organised criminal groups by restraining and seizing their assets and unexplained wealth
• contributing effectively to Australia’s border management and security, particularly by protecting Australia from people smuggling through prevention, deterrence and disruption
• contributing effectively to the Australian Government’s international law enforcement interests, including matters involving cooperation with key international partners to combat transnational organised crime and corruption, responses to emergencies, law and order capacity-building missions, and participation in internationally mandated peace operations
• countering the threat of cybercrime, including through achieving and maintaining a technological edge over criminals
• leading and managing the law enforcement and crime prevention aspects of aviation security
• ensuring that specific individuals, establishments and events, identified by the Australian Government as being at risk, are protected
• where possible, identifying emerging criminal threats to the national interest and, for issues in which the AFP has operational expertise, advising on appropriate approaches to counter such threats
• providing leadership to, and working with, other agencies to actively protect Commonwealth revenue
• taking a leadership role and collaborating with state and territory law enforcement to deliver national law enforcement initiatives to disrupt the operation of criminal gangs, reduce the proliferation of child exploitation material and reduce the harm caused by illicit drugs
• coordinating effectively with the Attorney-General’s Department to provide a united portfolio approach on law and justice aid issues
• contributing effectively to whole-of-government efforts to prevent Australia from being a safe haven for proceeds of crime, including from corruption, or used for money laundering purposes
• actively contributing to broader government programs or initiatives to ensure that they are informed by the AFP’s operational experience.

The focus of the AFP’s resource management strategy is the flexible application of resources to activities that are likely to have the greatest impact on criminal networks and security threats, both within Australia and overseas.

In 2014–15 the AFP:

• expanded the National Anti-Gangs Squad to include a strike team in Western Australia
• supported the whole-of-government United Nations Security Council effort through delivery of policing expertise, advice and capacity development
• delivered official development assistance programs in the Pacific and Timor-Leste
• maintained strong liaison and operational links with international partners to disrupt serious criminal and national security threats
• contributed to the whole-of-government approach to prevent corruption.

Reporting Structure

The AFP’s outcomes, together with the related programs, are described below. The description of outcomes includes performance indicators and targets used to assess and monitor the performance of the AFP in achieving government outcomes. As a result of ongoing review of the AFP performance framework, indicators are now categorised as effectiveness or deliverable metrics.

Outcome 1

Outcome 1 contributes to reduced criminal and security threats to Australia’s collective economic and societal interests through co-operative policing services.

The AFP has two programmes under Outcome 1: Federal Policing and National Security; and International Police Assistance. Both programmes emphasise federal operational policing and capacity development roles and acknowledge key features of the current environment:

1. threats to Australians and Australia’s interests have an international base
2. organised serious crime represents, in itself, a security threat to Australian interests
3. weak rule of law undermines development and provides opportunities for terrorist and other criminal enterprises to flourish.

These programmes integrate prevention and disruption priorities for crime reduction and impede criminal elements that threaten the security of Australians and Australian interests.

Programme 1.1: Federal Policing and National Security

Programme 1.1, Federal Policing and National Security, focuses on reducing criminal and security threats to Australia’s collective economic and societal interests by promoting the safety and security of Australian communities and infrastructure; preventing, deterring, disrupting and investigating serious and organised crime and crimes of Commonwealth significance; and ensuring effective collaboration with Commonwealth, state and territory and international partners.

Programme 1.1 incorporates the following areas:

• Aviation, Counter Terrorism and Protection, which focus on preventing security threats
• the Crime Program, which includes the International Network and a range of joint task forces with Commonwealth, state, territory and private sector partners (including the Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce and the National Anti-Gangs Squad)
• Close Operational Support, which provides forensics, intelligence, legal, litigation, security, coordination and communication services. These services ensure the AFP remains well positioned to address advancements in criminal use of emerging technologies. High Tech Crime Operations investigates specific offences through its Cyber Crime and Child Protection teams and provides the organisation with technical and physical operations support across all crime types.

Programme 1.2: International Police Assistance

Programme 1.2, International Police Assistance, reduces criminal and national security threats to Australia’s collective economic and societal interests by delivering collaborative law and order capacity development missions, participating in internationally mandated peace operations and providing civil policing assistance in accordance with Australian foreign policy priorities.

Outcome 2

Outcome 2 contributes to a safe and secure environment through policing activities on behalf of the Australian Capital Territory Government.

Programme 2.1: ACT Community Policing

The primary aim for Outcome 2 is the provision of a community policing capacity to the ACT Government. AFP activities in this regard include the four key outputs of crime and safety management, road safety, prosecution and judicial support, and crime prevention.

Strategic Leaders’ Group

The Strategic Leaders’ Group is the peak advisory committee of the AFP and assists the Commissioner in making decisions and exercising his statutory responsibilities and delegations.

The executive members of the Strategic Leaders’ Group are the Commissioner (Chair), the three Deputy Commissioners, the Chief Operating Officer, the ACT Chief Police Officer and all national managers. It also has two external (non-AFP) members whose role is to provide an independent perspective and insight into the group’s deliberations.

The group meets to drive strategic outcomes for the AFP consistent with Ministerial Direction and organisational requirements. It discusses and provides advice on significant strategic matters facing the organisation, enabling a streamlined approach to managing the business of the AFP across its many diverse functions.

During 2014–15 the Strategic Leaders’ Group considered many issues, including:

• developing the AFP Future Directions Project to consider the future strategic direction of the AFP and its capability requirements
• endorsing a revised organisational structure as part of the AFP Reform Agenda to better align and distinguish between operational outcomes and capabilities to ensure the organisation is as flexible and responsive as possible
• formalising the Executive Leadership Committee and streamlined governance structures to support the new organisational structure
• responding to the evolving national security environment and the risk to law enforcement personnel, and reinforcing workplace safety and security arrangements
• responding to critical and emerging law enforcement issues on a national and international scale.

Future Directions Project

The AFP Future Directions project was established in March 2015 to assess the future challenges for the AFP and ensure that the organisation has the long-term capability to meet those challenges. The project is initially exploring three themes:

1. protecting Australians
2. protecting Australia’s interests
3. AFP health.

The project, led by the AFP Senior Executive, is supported by an Advisory Board which includes:

• Mr Graham Ashton, the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police and former AFP Deputy Commissioner Capability (Advisory Board member from 1 July 2015)
• Sir Angus Houston, Special Envoy to Ukraine in relation to MH17 and former Chief of the Defence Force
• Mr Warwick Jones, Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Police Management
• Dr Martin Parkinson, former Secretary of the Department of the Treasury
• Dr Helen Szoke, Chief Executive Officer of Oxfam Australia
• Professor Michael Wesley, Director of the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University.

Stage 1 of the project—the launch of a Strategic Context Paper—occurred in July 2015. This will form the basis for consultations and discussions with partner agencies across government, internal AFP stakeholders, industry partners and academia in Stage 2. Final stages of the project will lead to the creation of an ‘AFP Futures’ document in 2016, which will be the roadmap for the future of the AFP.

Outcome 1 National Policing

Outcome 1: Reduced criminal and security threats to Australia’s collective economic and societal interests through co-operative policing services

Programme 1.1 Federal Policing and National Security

The Federal Policing and National Security Programme focuses on preventing, disrupting and investigating transnational and serious and organised crime, and threats to national security. In 2014–15 this programme met or exceeded all nine KPI targets and all but two of the 14 deliverable indicator (D) targets (see Tables 1 and 2 respectively). Comparison with previous years shows that, in the main, strong results were maintained.

Success under this programme is shown through strong cooperation between agencies (KPI 1, 92 per cent satisfaction) and successful court outcomes (KPI 2, 94 per cent conviction rates). Further details about the annual stakeholder survey are in Figure 3. The number of investigations finalised at court has been maintained (Figure 4). Specific examples of operations and the full disruptive impact of the AFP interventions are provided in Chapter 4.

There was a sustained focus on national security operations throughout 2014–15. The attacks on police (Melbourne) and the public (Martin Place siege, Sydney) reflect an escalation of the threat level and the requirement for even greater effort in prevention and disruption. From a KPI perspective this is shown in the higher percentage of time spent in operational activity (D3, 99 per cent) and, for the first time, AFP Counter Terrorism being involved in response activity rather than prevention (D2, 98 per cent, with the 100 per cent target therefore not met). Further details of key AFP Counter Terrorism operations are provided in Chapter 4 along with details on the National Disruption Group and diversion activities to address radicalisation and combat terrorism.

1. KPI 1 is based on the AFP Business Satisfaction Survey.

2. KPI 4 is based on the AFP Airport Consumer Confidence Survey.

3. ‘Avoidable incidents’ are defined as incidents that could have been avoided through physical action, intervention or reasonable intelligence, that result in death, injury or loss of dignity or embarrassment to those individuals and interests identified by the Commonwealth Government or the AFP as being at risk. One avoidable incident was recorded in 2014–15: a vehicle accident during a Close Personal Protection movement, in which a bollard rose and struck a car containing the Acting Prime Minister.

4. ‘Increase’ is defined as an increase in assets restrained relative to the previous five-year average (AUD$65.6 million).

1. Preventative activities for Uniform Protection include active patrolling; monitoring of electronic measures, alarms and CCTV; and access/egress support. Response activities include responses to security incidents.

2. Preventative activities for Close Personal Protection include close personal protection advances, major event planning and training. Response activities include provision of close personal protection and operational responses to major events.

3. Control chart methodology is used to determine 95% confidence limits.

4. The D14 target increased from 80% in 2013–14 to 85% in 2014–15.

AFP Business Satisfaction Survey

The AFP Business Satisfaction Survey (BSS) provides an indication of the level of cooperation between the AFP and other law enforcement agencies, and other public and private sector organisations.

Successful policing at the federal level requires effective cooperation across both domestic and international jurisdictions. The BSS is one method that the AFP uses to measure the strength of external relationships and identify where there is room for improvement. The BSS has been conducted annually in its current online format since 2006. In 2015 almost 2,000 individuals from over 500 organisations were invited to participate, indicating the growth and diversity in the AFP’s remit and reach.

Increasing levels of satisfaction have been observed for several years but were not maintained in 2015. Analysis showed that, even though the decrease was only three percentage points overall (from 92 per cent to 89 per cent), it was not limited to a single location or business area and was seen across all sectors (law enforcement, government and industry). The most common response to the question on how the AFP could improve was to address resourcing and to increase the level of interaction with clients. Overall, however, the comments and feedback were very positive, with an emphasis on the professionalism of staff and successful working relationships.

The value that the AFP places on inter-agency relationships is shown by the inclusion of partnership policing as one of four strategic initiatives described in the new AFP Corporate Plan 2015–19 (accessible at www.afp.gov.au). Key activities associated with this initiative include continuing to develop strategic partnerships, especially with the private sector; and ongoing assessment of the AFP’s global footprint. Surveys such as the BSS are tools that can be used to monitor the progress and the impact of these strategies.

Note: ‘Conviction’ denotes cases with at least one defendant convicted or the case proven without conviction.

AFP Aviation and AFP Protection met all their KPI and deliverable targets in 2014–15. This included Aviation response times (KPI 5) and community satisfaction (KPI 4).

The Airport Consumer Confidence Survey was conducted in February 2015 and consisted of 1,061 face-to-face interviews across six major airports. The overall result of 78 per cent satisfaction exceeded the target of 75 per cent but was nine percentage points lower than the record high satisfaction level achieved in 2014 (Figure 5). Analysis showed that there was a consistent shift at all airports and a movement towards a neutral view rather than increased dissatisfaction. The result also appeared to be associated with a lower awareness of the police presence at airports and of the contribution that the AFP makes towards aviation law enforcement and security. Details on successful drug detections and fraud investigations conducted by the AFP at airports in 2014–15 are provided in Chapter 4.

The AFP Protection function maintained positive results in 2014–15 with a low avoidable incident rate (KPI 6—a single incident) and a focus on preventative activities across Uniform Protection (D5) and Close Personal Protection (D6) while maintaining a busy calendar of special events such as providing protective security services to the 2014 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brisbane and leading increased security and response operations at Parliament House. Details are provided in Chapter 4.

Despite providing assistance to the various national security operations throughout the year, and the unexpected and rapid deployment of staff to assist with the crime scene operations and investigation of the downing of MH17 in Ukraine, the AFP operations areas had a particularly successful year. All KPI and deliverable targets were met:

• As in previous years, high return on investment (KPI 7) was achieved, with social benefits derived from disrupting crime (through finalised drug and economic investigations) outweighing the costs of investigations, legal processes and detainment. This indicator is based on a high Drug Harm Index value of AUD$2.6 billion (Figure 6) based on large drugs seizures (9,367 kilograms; Table 5 in Chapter 4). Details of disruptions of key drug importations such as Operation Koi and Operation Azoic are provided in Chapter 4. The other benefit contribution to this KPI is the economic return value of AUD$985.5 million derived from the value of successful fraud and money laundering investigations. Further details of these operations being undertaken by the money laundering and fraud and anti-corruption teams, waterfront task forces and the Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) are described in Chapter 4.
• CACT restrained a record value of AUD$246.6 million in criminal assets in 2014–15—well above the target of AUD$65.6 million based on the average of the previous five years (KPI 8, Figure 7).
• The child protection area of the High Tech Crime Operations function continued to focus on prevention and disruption activity and continued to show high levels of efficacy of their cybersafety presentations (KPI 9, 96 per cent). Further details of the continued expansion of this program into state jurisdictions and the Pacific region are in Chapter 4.
• High Tech Crime Operations maintained focus on high-impact operations (D12) and staff awareness (D14) but did not meet the target for high-impact cases reaching court (D13) (only 55 cases reached court compared with a target of 90). The reason for this gap is that this indicator now provides only partial coverage of all outputs from the combined operational efforts across Australia as a result of a new joint approach to combating child exploitation across Australia, with integrated teams consisting of AFP members and state police (details in Chapter 4).
• Despite increased demand from AFP Counter Terrorism and specialist deployment to the Netherlands and Ukraine, AFP Forensics continued to exceed their service-level targets for quality (D9), timeliness (D10) and throughput (D11).

Note: Values are based on AFP seizures (excluding international seizures).

Note: Targets were introduced in 2011–12 (based on the previous five-year average).

Programme 1.2 International Police Assistance

The International Police Assistance Programme contributes to reducing criminal and national security threats to Australia’s collective economic and societal interests through the AFP’s International Deployment Group (IDG). AFP delivers collaborative law and order police development missions, participates in internationally mandated peace operations, and provides civil policing assistance in accordance with Australian foreign policy priorities.

In 2014–15 all KPI and deliverable indicator targets for the International Police Assistance Programme were met. Evidence of positive outcomes was shown through positive stakeholder feedback and independent evaluation (Table 3). Achievement of deliverables was shown through the training numbers and the regional distribution of resources in line with foreign policy (Table 4).

Although the level of client satisfaction across the International Police Assistance Programme (KPI 10) decreased this year compared with previous years, it remained above target. The decrease may be attributed in part to a redirection of resources from across the AFP to manage responses to the MH17 recovery operation and in support of the security for G20—both operational necessities. The AFP is continuing to work with partner agencies to manage expectations and to ensure expectations are shared and understood.

The 2014–15 independent evaluations of the Samoa–Australia Police Partnership (SAPP) and Pacific Police Development Program—Regional (PPDP-R) highlighted positive outcomes the AFP contributes to in the region (KPI 11—details in Table 3 and Chapter 4).

na = not applicable

1. KPI 10 is based on the AFP Business Satisfaction Survey.

2. Feedback included that the PPDP-R is ‘very well regarded by police organisations in the Pacific … program implementation is flexible, tailored, and responsive to lessons learned’ and SAPP support has ‘impacted directly on the improved performance of the Samoa Police Service’.

na = not applicable

1. Annual targets are in accordance with the overall target in Australia’s Comprehensive Aid Policy Framework to 2015–16.

2. The international median is based on annual figures published by the World Bank.

3. National security and aid priority countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu and Vietnam, as outlined in Australia’s Comprehensive Aid Policy Framework to 2015–16.

Outcome 2 ACT Policing

Outcome 2: A safe and secure environment through policing activities on behalf of the Australian Capital Territory Government.

ACT Policing delivers quality policing services to create a safer and more secure community. In accordance with the Purchase Agreement 2014–15, the four main outputs against which ACT Policing’s performance is measured are:

1. crime and safety management
2. traffic law enforcement and road safety
3. prosecution and judicial support
4. crime prevention.

The Purchase Agreement is entered into between the Australian Capital Territory Minister for Police and Emergency Services, the Commissioner of the AFP and the Chief Police Officer for the ACT. The Purchase Agreement specifies the type, level and cost of the services that the Australian Capital Territory Government requires from ACT Policing on an annual basis. In addition, the Minister for Police and Emergency Services issues a Ministerial Direction in which the special areas of focus for the year are outlined.

ACT Policing provides quality policing services to the Australian Capital Territory, including community policing and investigation of crime, in partnership with government and non-government agencies and the broader community.

More information on ACT Policing, including performance against targets, can be found in the ACT Policing annual report, available at www.police.act.gov.au or through ACT Policing Media and Marketing on (02) 6264 9460 or .

Aviation

Objective

The AFP’s Aviation function provides national and aviation security at Australia’s nine major airports (Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney).

Airport Policing

The AFP performs high-visibility community policing at the major airports. Aviation members work in partnership with Commonwealth agencies, state law enforcement, airlines and airport operators to provide a layered approach to security and law enforcement.

The AFP performs prevention and response activities ensuring the aviation environment is hostile to organised crime and security threats. To ensure that our activities are effective, we conduct and participate in incident preparedness exercises at all major airports.

The AFP gathers intelligence, conducts criminal investigations into aviation-specific crime and provides flexible regional rapid deployment to regional airports.

Airport Police Commanders at each of the major airports are responsible for the coordination, command and control of aviation security and airport policing activities.

Air Security Officers provide an intelligence-led policing capability on selected domestic and international flights to safeguard Australian registered aircraft and their passengers and crews. The role of Air Security Officers is to contain and resolve high-risk incidents aboard aircraft and to take measures to prevent acts of violence on aircraft and in the aviation environment. They also contribute to the AFP Aviation capability at Australian airports by way of observation, reporting and response.

The AFP National Canine Program provides a highly mobile and effective screening capability in the major airports, AFP national operations (investigations and protection) and ACT Policing. The program detects, deters and mitigates threats in the aviation environment and assists off-airport AFP and local state and territory police jurisdictions.

Airport Investigation Teams proactively target serious and organised criminality and ‘trusted insiders’ such as aviation employees who exploit, or aim to exploit, infrastructure and security vulnerabilities at the major airports.

In 2014–15 Program Jupiter continued to deliver long-term, purpose-built, high-quality AFP police facilities in support of the major airports. Under the program, the AFP’s Operations Centre in Cairns and the Canine Operations Centre in Brisbane were completed.

Detection and Investigations

The AFP is committed to combating all forms of criminality in the airstream and continues to detect and investigate serious crime.

Activities in 2014–15 included the following:

• In February 2015 a New Zealand flight arrived at Melbourne International Airport and a passenger was subjected to screening processes. An examination of the passenger’s belongings identified anomalies that suggested a suspect concealment within the retractable handles of her four check-in bags. A presumptive ion scan test on the lining of the bags returned a positive result for methamphetamine. An estimated 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine was recovered. The passenger was arrested and the matter is currently before the courts.
• In January 2015 at Perth Domestic Airport, a passenger was reported to be acting suspiciously. Australian currency to the value of AUD$146,450 was located in his luggage and AUD$4,760 was found in his pocket. The passenger was charged with dealing with property suspected of being proceeds of crime. The matter is currently before the courts.
• On 3 March 2015, during an AFP operation in the departure lounge at Perth Domestic Airport, an AFP Currency and Drug Detection dog identified a suspicious suitcase. The AFP searched the owner’s luggage and located AUD$140,950. The man was subsequently charged with dealing in money suspected to be the proceeds of crime.
• In 2015 an airport employee was charged with attempting to import a total of 98.8 kilograms of cocaine. Investigations began in April 2014 when bags containing 74.8 kilograms of cocaine were intercepted at the Sydney International Airport terminal. The matter was investigated and it was found that the same man allegedly removed a similar package in February 2015, which was believed to contain 24 kilograms of drugs. The estimated total street value of the combined drugs is nearly AUD$19 million.

Proactive Community Awareness Raising

Credit Card Knives

Credit card knives are manufactured in a way that disguises or conceals the blade. They are designed to give the impression that they are an innocuous item such as a plastic card. Their dimensions are similar to those of a credit card.

The AFP continues to raise awareness by educating the travelling public and reinforcing the message that credit card knives are a prohibited weapon and they are not permitted on aircraft.

In most states and territories it is illegal to buy a credit card knife. In all states and territories it is an offence to sell a knife that is manufactured to disguise or conceal the blade. The penalties for carrying a prohibited item through an aviation security checkpoint or onboard an aircraft are serious.

The AFP’s preventative strategies include working in partnership to target this criminal activity by engaging with companies such as eBay.

On 26 May 2015, as a result of this engagement, 10 listings that advertised credit card knives were forced to withdraw from the eBay site. An additional eight credit card knives listings by international sellers that shipped to Australia were removed the following day. On 20 June 2015 an additional two listings were removed.

The AFP continues to monitor internet sites that offer this illegal product for sale in Australia.

Airport Watch

Airport Watch, the AFP’s aviation community crime prevention strategy, encourages people who work or conduct business at airports to identify and report suspicious behaviour to the AFP. Airport Watch continued to operate at the major airports during 2014–15.

Counter Terrorism

Objective

The AFP’s Counter Terrorism function prevents, disrupts and investigates terrorist activity against Australia and Australian interests, both domestically and internationally.

Current Environment

The Syria–Iraq conflict is a multi-faceted threat to the Australian community.

The AFP continues to experience a significant rise in operational activity that can be directly attributed to the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. This level of activity is anticipated to continue to increase as the number of Australians seeking to support the conflict continues to grow.

Of significant concern in the current operating environment is the increasing number of Australians who are travelling overseas to participate in the conflict or are planning attacks onshore. Australians are attempting to travel to the conflict zone to fight; planning attacks in Australia in support of the conflict; or providing financial and other support to the conflict.

Specific threats that arise from the Syria–Iraq conflict include the following:

• returning fighters may have become further radicalised, trained, motivated and capable of conducting terrorism related activities on Australian soil
• those who remain in Australia (including citizens who have been prevented from leaving) and support those fighting overseas may themselves become radicalised, look for recruitment opportunities, plan onshore attacks, seek training from those who return and engage in criminal activity in order to provide material (monetary) support
• networks and combat experience can be leveraged to facilitate and incite terrorist acts in Australia and offshore. The potential damage to Australia’s international reputation is high if Australians with combat experience become involved in terrorist attacks overseas or further overseas conflicts in other locations
• there is significant concern about people from our immediate region travelling to support extremist groups. The likely consequences of this are expanded international extremist networks and enhanced capability and motivation for international jihad. This places Australians at greater risk of a terrorist attack while travelling in Southeast Asia.

AFP Counter Terrorism Activities

Operations

The AFP Counter Terrorism function has met the challenge of the ongoing threat through a number of operations during 2014–15. As a result of eight disruption activities 25 people have been charged with a number of terrorism and other offences. Subsequently charges have been dropped against one of the persons of interest. These operations are in response to the changing domestic terrorism threat, which has shifted from larger, complex attacks to smaller-scale attacks demonstrating shorter times between radicalisation and action. The AFP was involved in the following operations in 2014–15:

• Operation Rising—an investigation of a group of people who were alleged to be planning an onshore attack on police members on or around Anzac Day (see the case study below)
• Operation Amberd—an investigation of the activities of a young person alleged to be involved in planning an onshore terrorist attack in Melbourne
• Operation Castrum—an investigation of the activities of two men alleged to be involved in planning an onshore terrorist attack in Sydney
• Operation Appleby—the largest counter terrorism operation undertaken in Australia’s history, which involved 30 simultaneous search warrants and approximately 800 officers (AFP, ASIO and NSW Police Force) and resulted in 11 individuals being arrested.

National Cooperation

National Disruption Group

To combat the evolving threat of terrorism at home, the AFP has received approximately AUD$77.2 million over four years to address the threat posed by foreign fighters.

The AFP has established the National Disruption Group, which brings the AFP together with its partners to coordinate operational disruption activities nationally and internationally with the aim of countering the enduring threat posed by foreign fighters.

The National Disruption Group consolidates the capabilities of participating agencies to prevent, disrupt and prosecute Australian nationals who travel or intend to travel offshore to engage in hostilities and/or undertake terrorism training as well as those providing support to them.

The agencies participating in the National Disruption Group alongside the AFP are state and territory police, Australian intelligence agencies, the Attorney-General’s Department, the Australian Crime Commission, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, the Department of Defence, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Human Services and the Department of Social Services.

In addition to its disruption focus, the National Disruption Group has the capability to identify suitable individuals for diversion activities and refer them to the AFP Diversion Team or have them participate in the Attorney-General’s Department Countering Violent Extremism Intervention Framework. This referral capability allows the National Disruption Group to respond to individuals and counter anything from radicalisation to violent extremism.

The AFP Diversion Team works collaboratively with existing operational and liaison teams in support of community engagement to implement early intervention and violence disengagement strategies (including alternatives to prosecution such as reintegration and rehabilitation) while balancing national security requirements.

Joint Counter Terrorism Teams

The Joint Counter Terrorism Teams are a partnership between members from the AFP, state and territory police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. The aim of the teams is to work closely with other domestic agencies in the broader intelligence community and with international partners to identify and investigate terrorist activities in Australia (including terrorism financing) with an emphasis on preventative operations. The AFP’s role in the National Disruption Group complements the role of the Joint Counter Terrorism Teams.

Terrorism Financing Investigations Unit

The Terrorism Financing Investigations Unit specifically targets the financing of terrorism and terrorist organisations, both domestically and offshore. The unit comprises highly skilled investigators and financial analysts with representatives from the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre and has key contacts within the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, the Department of Human Services and the Australian Taxation Office. It has also established close relationships with domestic and international law enforcement partners who have responsibility for terrorist financing investigations.

Community Engagement

In support of the government’s Countering Violent Extremism Strategy, AFP Community Liaison Teams are positioned in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. There is also a community liaison capability in Canberra, Adelaide and Perth. The AFP coordinates its activities with similar capacities maintained by state and territory police and other government agencies.

In 2014–15 the AFP’s Community Liaison Teams were involved in numerous community engagement activities in partnership with key community groups and other law enforcement and government agencies. The AFP and other government representatives regularly meet with the community and community leaders.

The teams help build positive and trusting relationships between the AFP and the community through various interactions. To build community relationships, cohesion and trust, the teams are involved in activities including sporting events, high school and university programs, interactions with religious centres, participation in community days and support for Countering Violent Extremism sub-committee government-funded programs.

International Cooperation

The AFP maintains an extensive counter terrorism international presence designed to support offshore efforts to counter terrorism, strengthen international cooperation and enhance regional investigative capacity.

In 2014–15 the AFP had enhanced engagement with foreign law enforcement and intelligence partners through the AFP’s International Network. New liaison officers have been deployed to Ankara, Turkey; Amman, Jordan; and The Hague (Europol) within the past year.

Counter Terrorism Leaders Forum

The 2014 Counter Terrorism Leaders Forum was held on 15–17 September 2014 in Cebu, Philippines. The event was co-hosted by the Philippines National Police and the AFP. The forum is an important annual event that facilitates AFP engagement with senior regional partners from the Philippines National Police, the Royal Thai Police, the Royal Malaysia Police and the Indonesian National Police. This was the fourth annual meeting of the Counter Terrorism Leaders Forum.

Counter Terrorism Leaders Working Group

In June 2015 the Royal Malaysia Police and the AFP co-hosted the Counter Terrorism Leaders Working Group in Langkawi, Malaysia. The purpose of the meeting was to implement the recommendations of the Counter Terrorism Leaders Forum. It also provided an opportunity for intelligence sharing and discussion of issues of mutual concern.

The AFP continues to work closely with partner agencies both domestically and internationally to ensure a high level of collaboration and a coordinated approach to addressing the terrorist threat.

Review of Counter Terrorism Machinery

On 5 August 2014 the government commissioned the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to conduct a review of Australia’s counter terrorism arrangements. The review found that the Commonwealth has strong, well-coordinated counter terrorism arrangements and that there is no reason to make major structural changes. It also found that Australia has entered a new, long-term era of heightened terrorism threat with a much more significant ‘home-grown’ element.

On 15–16 December 2014 a siege took place at the Lindt Café in Martin Place, Sydney. Following resolution of the siege, the Prime Minister announced that the Commonwealth and New South Wales governments would conduct a review of the incident and determine the lessons that could be learned from the events leading up to and surrounding the siege. The review recommended modest changes to laws and government processes to mitigate the public security risks exposed by this case.

The AFP supports the recommendations of these reviews and is working with whole-of-government partners to implement recommendations.

Crime Program

Objective

The purpose of the AFP’s Crime Program is to disrupt, dismantle and combat serious and organised crime that poses a threat to Australia’s national security. The program comprises the Serious and Organised Crime and Crime Operations functions, which provide an investigative capacity for a wide range of crimes contained in Commonwealth statutes.

Serious and organised crime is increasingly global in nature. There are many organised crime groups that are sophisticated, highly networked and extremely well funded. Organised crime networks are becoming far more inclusive and universal in nature, transcending traditional, national, established and conventional organised crime groups.

The AFP proactively seeks opportunities for investigations to disrupt or dismantle crime organisers, facilitators or syndicates at their source. This includes asset confiscation that targets the criminal economy.

Multi-agency Approaches

The AFP places an emphasis on a multi-agency approach to responding to crime in Australia. Its Crime Program teams work very closely with domestic and international partners to not only identify and mitigate vulnerabilities that organised crime groups exploit but also disrupt, investigate, prosecute and combat organised criminal activity both in Australia and offshore.

Notes: Some seizures involve multiple drug groups. Figures are correct at time of publication and include seizures by other federal agencies where the drugs have been held in AFP custody. The table excludes international seizures.

Money Laundering Investigations

Targeting the criminal economy is crucial to enhancing our understanding of organised criminal activity and developing strategies to disrupt it. Money laundering remains a key enabler of organised crime.

Organised crime groups launder their money to conceal the true origin of their illicit funds and reinvest in future criminal activity. The most common forms of money laundering in Australia are the informal value transfer system within the alternative remittance sector, bulk cash smuggling and trade-based money laundering.

In 2014–15 the AFP continued to target Australian organised crime groups that make use of money laundering networks. In particular, it works with partner agencies to target the upper echelons of these international networks.

The AFP works to disrupt these activities through its dedicated money laundering team under the auspices of Operation Zanella. The work of Operation Zanella has resulted in arrests and prosecutions and the seizure of AUD$13.6 million in cash.

The AFP is also part of the Eligo National Taskforce—a joint formal task force with the Australian Taxation Office and led by the Australian Crime Commission that targets money laundering networks. The AFP has provided investigators and intelligence support to the task force. In 2014–15 the AFP contribution to the task force resulted in the combined seizures of more than AUD$13 million in cash.

Criminal Assets Confiscation

A key focus of asset confiscation is the removal of the benefit of criminal activity from criminals and the prevention of the reinvestment of criminal profits in further criminal activity. Through the joint Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce, the AFP has enhanced its focus on asset confiscation.

The Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce, led and hosted by the AFP, combines the expertise and resources of the AFP, the Australian Crime Commission and the Australian Taxation Office. The task force has investigation and litigation teams in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Canberra, thereby providing national coverage. These teams also provide financial investigative support to other operational areas of the AFP.

The task force investigates and litigates conviction-based and non-conviction-based proceeds of crime matters. It employs a dynamic and integrated approach to asset confiscation and develops the most effective and appropriate strategy for each individual case.

The task force continues to deliver significant results. Task force activities in 2014–15 resulted in the restraint of AUD$246.6 million in assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth).

Waterfront Task Forces

Addressing serious and organised crime in the maritime environment and cargo supply chain is particularly challenging. The AFP is involved in joint task forces in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales to combat high-risk vulnerabilities and proactively shape the maritime operating environment to identify and negate criminal opportunities.

The waterfront task forces bring together officers from the AFP, the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, the Australian Crime Commission, relevant state police and crime commission agencies, the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre.

National Anti-Gangs Squad

AFP officers are integral participants in joint agency National Anti-Gangs Squad teams across Australia. The teams, which include AFP and state police forces, conduct investigations and disruption strategies to detect, target and disrupt gang-related crime in Australia and overseas.

The National Anti-Gangs Squad is supported by intelligence generated by the multi-agency Australian Gangs Intelligence Coordination Centre. It also collaborates with domestic and international agencies.

The National Anti-Gangs Squad aims to protect the Australian community by targeting gangs such as outlaw motorcycle gangs, which are heavily involved in a variety of crime types including drug importing, trafficking, manufacture and distribution; money laundering; tax evasion; and violence.

Investigations Standards and Practices

The Investigation Standards and Practices Group, established in April 2014, has been working to promote consistency, standards and quality in support of investigations across the AFP.

One initiative of the Investigation Standards and Practices Group was the establishment of Regional Investigation Advisers. The advisers drive the development and implementation of best practice by providing real-time operational mentoring and tactical support, specifically to investigations where levels of risk, complexity and reputation are high.

Investigators Skills and Qualifications Framework

The Investigation Standards and Practices Group and AFP Human Resources work together to develop and implement key strategies to support the AFP’s aims of professionalising policing and linking capability and capacity with organisational requirements.

In 2014–15 one of these strategies was the establishment of the Investigators Skills and Qualifications Framework, which encompasses the core skills required of investigators to perform their role effectively.

International Network

Through its International Network, the AFP has developed and maintained cooperative working relationships with its Australian and foreign law enforcement partners to enhance engagement and relationships with the broader community. The AFP relies on these relationships for police-to-police investigations and exchange of intelligence, information and assistance through shared facilities, joint operations and advice.

As at 30 June 2015 the International Network had 99 members deployed in 29 countries in 37 locations to broker collaboration with international law enforcement agencies and support bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Regional Engagement

The AFP works closely with law enforcement partners in the Pacific region to combat transnational crime by supporting the Pacific Transnational Crime Network.

The Pacific Transnational Crime Network consists of 18 Transnational Crime Units in 13 Pacific countries; and the Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Centre in Apia, Samoa. AFP Transnational Crime Network advisers are located in the Pacific (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fiji) and Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia). They focus on the delivery of capacity-building projects within the region.

Operation Sovereign Borders

The Australian Government’s Operation Sovereign Borders aims to disrupt and dismantle maritime people-smuggling operations.

The AFP-led Disruption and Deterrence Task Group continues to support Operation Sovereign Borders through the Operation Sovereign Borders Joint Agency Task Force.

The task group’s activities include a combination of joint agency domestic and international disruption, deterrence and capacity-building activities. These activities include:

• conducting investigations in relation to Australian-based offenders
• extraditing international offenders involved in people smuggling or facilitating persons’ illegal maritime entry to Australia
• conducting intelligence gathering, coordination and dissemination activities to identify, disrupt and dismantle people-smuggling networks
• providing liaison officers to source and transit countries to build on existing AFP networks and enhance collaboration between foreign law enforcement and the AFP
• providing training programs to foreign law enforcement agencies to enhance their capability to target syndicates
• delivering capacity development and operational support to source and transit countries undertaking activities to counter people smuggling.

Human Trafficking

The AFP Human Trafficking Team supports the whole-of-government approach to combating human trafficking. The four central pillars of Australia’s anti human trafficking strategy are:

• prevention
• detection and investigation
• criminal prosecution
• victim support and rehabilitation.

The AFP works collaboratively with a strong network of domestic law enforcement agencies, government and non-government agencies to support the strategy. Human Trafficking Team members are located in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. Human trafficking trained investigators are located in Brisbane, Darwin, Perth and Adelaide.

In 2014–15 the AFP received 119 human trafficking referrals, of which 105 were accepted for further investigation. This is an increase from 2013–14, when 70 referrals were received and 60 were accepted for information.

In 2014 and 2015 the AFP delivered a Human Trafficking Investigations Course in Canberra. The course is designed to advance expertise in areas critical to the successful investigation of human trafficking and slavery, including legislation, investigative methodologies, interviewing, and victim liaison and support. Course participants included AFP investigators, state and territory police and representatives from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

In August 2014 members of the AFP Human Trafficking Team attended the International Law Enforcement Academy, Bangkok, to deliver a two-week International Human Trafficking Investigation Workshop to participants from 11 Southeast Asian countries. The workshop, funded by the United States, is specifically designed to raise the skills of police and other agencies in the region in preventing, detecting, investigating and prosecuting cases of human trafficking in accordance with international best practice.

Northern Territory Child Abuse Taskforce

In 2014–15 the AFP continued to investigate child sexual abuse within Northern Territory remote communities. The AFP deploys officers to the Northern Territory Child Abuse Taskforce to assist in the investigation of these matters.

AFP members assist in task force investigations focused on serial violence and child abuse as well as other criminality in Indigenous communities that contributes to these crimes. In 2014–15 the task force conducted 178 investigations.

Asian Football Cup and Cricket World Cup

During January, February and March 2015 Australia hosted the Asian Football Confederation Cup and International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup.

The Australian Government provided written undertakings to protect against the unauthorised commercial use of certain logos and images associated with both events. In July 2014 the government enacted the Major Sporting Events (Indicia and Images) Protection Act 2014 (Cth) to regulate the use of logos and images. Similar legislation was enacted for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

As part of its response to the government’s commitment, the AFP implemented a number of initiatives and operational activities that occurred before, during and after the sporting events. The AFP’s activities focused on the detection, disruption and investigation of syndicated copyright infringements associated with the events. The AFP investigative teams were deployed to each of the games to assess any possible breaches. They also conducted compliance visits in each city at well-known hotspots and markets.

As a result of these activities, the AFP seized approximately 100 items of non-sanctioned Asian Football Confederation merchandise and a total of 672 items of non-sanctioned Cricket World Cup merchandise.

International Mail Processing and Disruption Strategy

The International Mail Processing and Disruption Strategy was initiated in response to an Australian Customs and Border Protection Service report of a significant increase in the volume and frequency of illicit drug and precursor importations through international mail. The strategy aims to disrupt organised criminal activity through an intelligence-led and efficient approach to the AFP’s processing, examination and analysis of international mail seizures.

Under the strategy the AFP examines convergences and links to more effectively target syndicates operating onshore and offshore. It utilises the abilities of the National Forensic Rapid Lab to collect and analyse illicit materials, including drugs, precursors and firearms that have been sent through the international mail system. The forensic lab is also able to assess and disseminate forensic intelligence on the identification of mail importations and convergences across importations.

As part of the International Mail Processing and Disruption Strategy, the AFP has partnered with state and territory law enforcement agencies and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to pursue criminal syndicates that import illicit substances through the mail. A particular focus has been working with state and territory law enforcement agencies to target the importation of methamphetamine.

Fraud and Anti-Corruption Centre

The Fraud and Anti-Corruption Centre is a multi-agency initiative established to enhance the Commonwealth’s ability to prevent, detect and investigate serious and complex Commonwealth fraud and corruption, including foreign bribery and identity security offences. The centre was officially opened on 31 July 2014 by the Federal Minister for Justice, the Hon Michael Keenan MP.

The Fraud and Anti-Corruption Centre is hosted by the AFP Fraud and Anti-Corruption business area. Participating Commonwealth agencies include the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Crime Commission, the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the Department of Defence, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, the Department of Human Services and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Fraud and Anti-Corruption Centre is focused on strengthening law enforcement capability to respond to serious and complex fraud, foreign bribery, corruption by Australian Government employees and complex identity crime. It achieves this goal by delivering key functions, including multi-agency secondments, to support referral evaluation triage and review, training, intelligence and joint activity coordination.

In line with existing AFP external agency referral processes, the centre undertakes detailed and joint evaluations of serious and complex fraud and corruption matters to ensure a comprehensive understanding of current issues and the most effective use of collective investigative resources.

Foreign Bribery

The AFP is responsible for investigating allegations of foreign bribery of Australian citizens, Australian residents and Australian registered companies or any instances of foreign bribery that occur partly or wholly in Australia. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Working Group on Bribery conducts periodic reviews of Australia’s activities in this area.

In June 2015 the OECD working group acknowledged the AFP’s recent work to implement change and enhance the Commonwealth’s response to prevent and detect complex Commonwealth fraud and corruption, particularly in regard to foreign bribery.

The OECD working group noted that significant work had been done, Australia’s efforts had significantly improved and that Australia was in the ‘upper echelons of countries’ in relation to the enforcement of foreign bribery laws.

High Tech Crime Operations

Objective

The High Tech Crime Operations function combats the threats of cybercrime through disruption, mitigation activities and prosecution of cyber-related crimes against the Commonwealth; and through education initiatives and broader technical capabilities.

The High Tech Crime Operations function enables a flexible technical support capability and investigative capacity to address cybercrime, including online child sexual exploitation. The function also provides centrally coordinated surveillance and monitoring capabilities that support all AFP policing functions, both domestically and internationally.

The function delivers a diverse capability including:

• identifying and responding to current and emerging cybercrime challenges through investigation, prevention and awareness-raising activities
• delivering, intercepting, monitoring and analysing relevant communications and other activities in support of investigations and operations.

High Tech Crime Investigations

The AFP has been able to respond effectively to complex and adaptive crime in collaboration with national and international partners. It has built robust and productive relationships with government agencies and private enterprise to reduce the enduring threat of cybercrime.

AFP High Tech Crime Operations cybercrime investigations are divided into two main areas of focus:

1. child sexual exploitation online and travelling child sex offenders
2. unauthorised access and modification of personal data and impairment of computer systems of national significance.

The AFP has worked tirelessly to position itself to effectively combat cyber challenges.

Cybercrime Operations

Australian Cyber Security Centre

The Australian Cyber Security Centre, launched in 2014–15 is a centralised facility responsible for Australia’s cybersecurity operational capabilities in Canberra. It focuses on government and non-government networks, critical infrastructure and the business sector.

The new centre enables embedded AFP members to work more collaboratively and build on relationships established under the former Cyber Security Operations Centre.

Working within the centre, the AFP members provide a law enforcement context to the analysis of cyber threats and use their legislative powers and liaison networks to add to the whole-of-government threat awareness and response capability.

During 2014–15 embedded Cyber Security Centre Cybercrime Operations officers supported a number of core pieces of Australian Government and industry work in preparation for the G20 Leaders’ Summit, including the development of a threat and risk picture and participation in several exercises to test the preparedness of agencies to respond to potential incidents.

AFP Cybercrime Operations gave briefings to more than 150 representatives from government agencies, which assisted in raising cyber awareness and helped to ensure the G20 Leaders’ Summit remained incident free from a cyber perspective.

National and International Collaboration and Cooperation

In January 2015 an AFP Cybercrime Operations member was seconded to the National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance in Pittsburgh in the United States. The alliance is an incorporated not-for-profit organisation—a partnership between government agencies and private industry funded by the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and subscriptions.

It functions as a neutral, collaborative organisation where industry, law enforcement and academia work together to share intelligence and investigate, mitigate and disrupt cybercrime. Co-located partners at the alliance include the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Dell Secureworks, the Bank of America and Hewlett Packard.

In January 2015 the AFP also commenced a secondment to Interpol’s Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore. The Global Complex for Innovation was officially opened in April 2015 and is poised to become Interpol’s leading edge research and development facility for the identification of crimes and criminals, innovative training, operational support and partnerships. Its activities will enhance the wide range of global services that the Interpol General Secretariat already provides to its member countries.

During 2014–15 the AFP also commenced a third strategic secondment to Europol’s Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce in Europol’s Cybercrime Centre in The Hague. The task force works with a coalition of countries across Europe and beyond to coordinate the operational responses to current and emerging global cyber threats.

Child Protection Operations

The online world and its embedded technologies have facilitated the ongoing sexual abuse and exploitation of children—an increasing problem for law enforcement. Children are being sexually abused, re-abused and victimised over and over through internet-facilitated distribution of imagery and the planning of criminal acts.

The physical and online worlds are inextricably brought together by travelling child sex offenders (child sex tourism) and the organised producers of child exploitation material.

As well as monitoring the online production and distribution of child exploitation material, AFP Child Protection Operations monitors, investigates and targets offenders who travel offshore and commit sexual offences or use the internet to exploit and sexually abuse children. The AFP works closely with foreign law enforcement agencies to prosecute these offenders in these countries and in Australia using extraterritorial laws.

Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team

In 2014–15 in response to the high volume and velocity of child exploitation referrals and material that the AFP has received, the existing Child Protection Operations framework was reviewed and the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team operating model was launched.

The new model is a collaborative platform in which Child Protection Operations teams are co-located with state and territory Police Sex Crime Commands (or their equivalent). The Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team provides a national leadership model under which all police agencies can work together to address the issue of protecting children, particularly in the online environment.

A key outcome of the model is the sharing of information and, as a consequence, accelerated dissemination of necessary information and intelligence on the sexual exploitation of children to partner agencies. The new arrangements will also enable more efficient and effective coordination of anti child exploitation efforts across Australia and internationally, as well as closer engagement with stakeholders.

The procurement of the Kent Internet Risk Assessment Tool and Hubstream software will allow the AFP to automate the assessment of child exploitation material it receives to ensure effective and efficient action on referrals.

Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team agreements are now formally in place with Victoria Police, Western Australia Police, the Northern Territory Police, South Australia Police and the NSW Police Force. It is expected all state and territory police will be operating under the model by the end of 2015.

Prevention and Strategic Initiatives Team

The Prevention and Strategic Initiatives Team is dedicated to reducing the incidence and impact of missing persons and cybercrimes. The team’s focus is on developing and implementing prevention and awareness strategies that specifically target vulnerable groups, including those at risk of online grooming, cyberbullying and cybercrime.

Cybercrime Prevention

The ThinkUKnow cybersafety program is the AFP’s flagship prevention program. The program involves a partnership between law enforcement and industry. The partnership continues to expand and now involves the AFP, Microsoft, Datacom and, as of February 2015, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

The program is further supported by the NSW Police Force, Northern Territory Police, Queensland Police Service, South Australia Police, Tasmania Police, Western Australia Police and Neighbourhood Watch Australasia.

ThinkUKnow—delivered by accredited volunteers through face-to-face presentations Australia wide—is aimed at bridging the knowledge gap between adults and young people when it comes to the internet and mobile technologies.

The presentations cover topics such as reputation management and social networking, cyberbullying and the filming of fights, ‘sexting’, online grooming, online gaming, inappropriate content, privacy management, scams, fraud, phishing, identity theft, how to protect your devices and how to report when things go wrong.

In 2014–15 ThinkUKnow volunteers delivered 213 presentations to 6,588 participants across Australia and there were 133,068 visits to the ThinkUKnow website, www.thinkuknow.org.au. The program also reached the milestone of training and accrediting 500 volunteers. Volunteers come from the AFP, Microsoft, Datacom and the Commonwealth Bank.

In the Pacific Island countries, through the Cyber Safety Pasifika initiative, the Cybercrime Prevention Team has presented to 15 schools and to three adult programs, reaching approximately 7,000 people.

The AFP partnered with the Pacific Island Chiefs of Police Secretariat to train and equip police across the Pacific with the knowledge and resources to educate young people in all aspects of cybersafety. To date, Cybercrime Prevention Team officers have trained police and presented to young people in 14 of the 21 participating Pacific Island countries.

During the reporting period the AFP also partnered with The Walt Disney Company to develop cybersafety material and lesson plans in both hard-copy and digital (iBook) forms. In 2014–15 materials have been provided to 1,200 primary schools and their students across Australia.

National Missing Persons Coordination Centre

The National Missing Persons Coordination Centre is responsible for reducing the incidence and impact of missing persons in Australia. The primary activities of the centre are education and awareness-raising initiatives and events such as National Missing Persons Week, International Missing Children’s Day and Day for Daniel (in memory of Daniel Morcombe).

In 2014–15 International Missing Children’s Day (25 May 2015) was launched at Fairground Follies in St Peters, Sydney. The event profiled missing children who have been parentally abducted. The AFP, in partnership with the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children and through its role in the Global Missing Children’s Network, led the international campaign to ‘help bring them home’. Twenty-two countries form the Global Missing Children’s Network and all participated in the campaign.

As part of the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre’s partnership with A&M Solutions (the administrative arm of Chemist Warehouse), profiles appeared in the Chemist Warehouse catalogue, which is distributed to 6.5 million Australians each month.

The 2014 National Missing Persons Week (3–9 August 2014) campaign focused on those with dementia, as this is a vulnerable group at risk of going missing. The annual event was launched in Canberra in partnership with Alzheimer’s Australia and with Alzheimer’s Australia National Ambassador and patron Ita Buttrose as master of ceremonies.

Technical Capability

The AFP provides further technical and physical surveillance capability through its High Tech Collections and Capabilities team. The team develops and deploys enhanced technical capabilities to the whole of the AFP. The team also provides monitoring, record-keeping and report services for technical deployments and controlled operations that the AFP undertakes.

The AFP was assessed by the Commonwealth Ombudsman as compliant with the Telecommunications (Interceptions and Access) Act 1979 (Cth) for telecommunications interception. The Ombudsman described the AFP as having good process in its procedures for handling stored communications.

Similarly, the AFP’s surveillance device records were assessed as compliant with the record-keeping requirements of the Surveillance Devices Act 2004 (Cth).

The AFP’s controlled operations records were also assessed as compliant under Part 1AB of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth).

International Deployment Group

Objective

The International Police Assistance program reduces criminal and national security threats to Australia’s collective economic and societal interests by delivering collaborative law and order capacity development missions, participating in internationally mandated peace operations and providing civil policing assistance to regional police services in accordance with Australian foreign policy priorities.

Law Enforcement Police Development Missions

Papua New Guinea – Australia Policing Partnership

The Papua New Guinea – Australia Policing Partnership mission has focused on training Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary officers in planning for major events and reducing gender violence. The training has been delivered through frontline policing advisory roles, executive level mentoring, infrastructure upgrades and curriculum enhancements at the Bomana Police College and Project Mekim Senis placements in Australia. The case study in this section provides further information on this initiative.

The policing partnership has also assisted the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary in preparing for managing major event security operations (specifically Papua New Guinea’s hosting of the Pacific Games in July 2015 and the Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in 2018) by providing specialist training and mentoring in major event planning.

Timor-Leste Police Development Program

A new four-year phase of the Timor-Leste Police Development Program commenced in July 2014. The program objectives are being achieved through six capacity-building initiatives covering governance, leadership and management, training support, investigations, operations and gender equality.

In 2014–15 the Timor-Leste Police Development Program, in partnership with the Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste, implemented a dedicated police communications systems network across Dili, established a Dili District Police Operations Centre, installed an information technology system to support professional data management and reporting, delivered investigations management training to 101 police officers (47 female and 54 male) and developed a command and control training program for policing response to incidents.

Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands

The AFP contributes to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) by providing staff and equipment to RAMSI’s Participating Police Force. The Participating Police Force comprises police advisors and administrative support staff from Australia, New Zealand and 13 Pacific Islands Forum nations. The force has a focus on operational capacity development to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF).

The Participating Police Force supported the RSIPF in providing a safe and secure environment for the Solomon Islands community to vote in the Solomon Islands National General Election, held on 19 November 2014. The election required an appropriate policing and security presence throughout the country’s nine provinces and at 882 polling stations. Additional police from Australia and New Zealand were deployed as a surge capacity to support the Participating Police Force. RSIPF planning and operational strategies included proactive community policing engagement and high-visibility patrols in the lead-up to and during the election period.

Media outlets in the Solomon Islands reported the community’s praise for the efforts of the RSIPF and the Participating Police Force in contributing to a peaceful National General Election.

AFP Police Development in Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu and Nauru

The AFP provides custom-designed capacity development initiatives through permanent missions in the Pacific Island nations of Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu and Nauru.

The AFP’s Tonga Police Development Program supported Tonga Police by providing infrastructure development, enhancing police skills and developing a Tonga Police maritime search and rescue capability to enable the nation to meet its international search and rescue obligations.

The Samoa–Australia Police Partnership provided infrastructure enhancement and training support to the Samoa Police Service, particularly in the areas of traffic operations and road safety. A key deliverable was the acquisition and supply of new security equipment funded by the Australian Government to assist the Samoa Police Service in providing security for the United Nations International Conference on Small Island Developing States, which was held in Apia, Samoa, in September 2014 and attended by 4,538 delegates.

The Vanuatu–Australia Police Project is a joint venture between the AFP and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the Policing and Justice Support Program Vanuatu. In addition to pre-planned program deliverables, in the wake of destruction caused by Tropical Cyclone Pam in March 2015, the police project provided sustained command, control and coordination assistance to the Vanuatu Police Force and its executive during the disaster response and recovery phases.

The AFP’s Nauru Police Force Police Capacity Program has focused on training Nauru police in a range of areas including basic criminal investigations, sexual assault investigations, random breath testing, public order management, human resource management and training in command, control and coordination for police operations.

Pacific Police Development Program—Regional

The Pacific Police Development Program—Regional (PPDP-R) uses a ‘fly-in–fly-out’ model to provide direct in-country training, advisory and mentoring support to the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Niue, Tuvalu, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. PPDP-R delivered capacity development to Pacific Island police under the themes of investigations, legislation and policy, management and leadership, corporate service reform, learning and development, general and specialist policing (including forensics and emergency management), planning, and monitoring and evaluation. Gender was, and continues to be, a cross-cutting theme through all programs.

Through PPDP-R, the AFP also provided whole-of-Pacific regional support to Pacific Islands Forum countries by delivering regional training and support to bodies, including the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP), the Pacific Police Training Advisory Group, the Pacific Forensics Working Group, Cyber Safety Pasifika, the Women’s Advisory Network, the Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence Program and the Pacific Police Policy Network. PPDP-R was active in supporting the development of the PICP Strategic Plan and creation of a PICP Executive Leadership Team.

In response to large-scale disasters, PPDP-R initiated regional command, control and coordination training for Pacific Island countries. This training was tailored for the Pacific region and has enhanced the capacity and capability of Pacific Island police in developing scalable plans and strategies for coordinating responses to crisis incidents and operational activities. Training recipients came from throughout the Pacific, including Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Nauru.

To complement this training and enable operational responses to emergency situations, PPDP-R facilitated the creation of a National Command Coordination Centre and Police Forward Command Vehicle in the Cook Islands and the delivery of emergency response trailers to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Palau, Niue and the Cook Islands.

To achieve ‘for Pacific—by Pacific’ successes, PPDP-R collaborated with non-government organisations such as the Pacific Islands Centre for Public Administration, the Regional Rights Resource Team, UN Women and the Fijian Women’s Crisis Centre to develop and deliver a two-week regional training package (pilot program for police) on domestic and gender-based violence and the rights of women. This package was delivered in Nadi, Fiji, in September 2014. The training was taken by 22 participants (eight female and 14 male).

Multinational Stabilisation and Peace Support Activities

The AFP has continued its commitment to the United Nations by deploying personnel to Cyprus and New York. Additionally, a senior AFP officer continues to perform the role of Police Commissioner in the United Nations Mission in Liberia. The AFP contribution to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime—the Maritime Crime Program Advisor position in Mauritius—ceased in November 2014.

Community Policing in External Territories and for Domestic Operations

The AFP delivers a full range of community policing and delegated regulatory functions in the external territories of Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Norfolk Island. It also provides community policing services at Jervis Bay Territory.

The AFP supports the Department of Immigration and Border Protection operations at the Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre, including by providing incident response and investigation support in relation to civil disturbances at the centre and support to air escort activities for the transfer of irregular maritime arrivals.

In 2014–15 a number of significant land and sea based search and rescue operations were conducted, including a lengthy search of tropical rainforest on Christmas Island for a missing man and the successful rescue of a rock fisherman at Jervis Bay.

Specialist Response Group

The AFP Specialist Response Group gives the AFP the capability to rapidly deploy locally, nationally or internationally to de-escalate volatile conflict situations, resolve high-risk situations, enhance community safety and respond to regional natural disasters.

The group comprises 22 teams across 14 disciplines. Its specialist policing capabilities include public order management, search and rescue, disaster response, intelligence, police negotiation, bomb response, maritime services, air support, communications and tactical operations.

The AFP Specialist Response Group deployed to 175 planned operations nationally and in the ACT and 1,871 separate response tasks within the ACT.

The AFP provided specialist policing capability to a number of major operations, including by:

• contributing to the whole of Australian Government Operation Bring Them Home by deploying 50 Specialist Response Group members to Ukraine to assist with the search and recovery operation for downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. Specialist Response Group members assisted in Ukraine for a five-week period in July 2014
• deploying specialist policing capability, including maritime, bomb response, tactical and marksman, in support of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. This was the largest security operation in Australia’s history. The G20 Leaders’ Summit was hosted in Brisbane in November 2014
• supporting the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force by providing specialist policing capability to ensure community safety and security during the conduct of the Solomon Islands National General Election in November 2014.

Design, Monitoring and Evaluation of International Development Work

The government’s focus on demonstrating aid effectiveness drives the work of the AFP Design and Evaluation Team. The AFP uses a continuous improvement cycle to ensure that AFP police development efforts are sustainable and result in the intended goal of partner organisations delivering legitimate and accountable policing. Effective policing not only delivers improved safety, security and justice outcomes for communities; it also reduces the transnational organised crime threat to Australia and the broader region.

The continuous improvement cycle involves:

• conducting a consultative design process
• developing mission objectives based on evidence
• monitoring progress towards objectives
• commissioning regular independent evaluations.

The introduction of a Lessons Management System and revision of doctrine, including the Strategic Framework and Police Development Guides, ensures that lessons learned are integrated into processes that direct mission activities.

In the past 12 months, the Design and Evaluation Team has worked closely with AFP missions to implement the continuous improvement cycle. Deliverables include:

• undertaking design processes for missions in Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands
• improving the mission performance reporting process
• facilitating monitoring and evaluation training for AFP members in mission
• commissioning independent evaluations of the Samoa–Australia Police Partnership and the PPDP-R.

Gender Strategy

On 11 November 2014 the AFP International Deployment Group Gender Strategy was launched in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, and Australia’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2012–2018. The strategy outlines the ways in which gender will be normalised in daily operations, police development programs and stability operations.

The Gender Strategy articulates target outcomes that include:

• mandatory Women, Peace and Security training for all AFP deployees
• targets for the deployment of women to AFP missions, including in senior leadership roles
• support for partner country efforts to eliminate barriers to women’s participation in policing by developing or reforming policies on recruitment, training, promotion, maternity leave, infrastructure development and housing
• support for partner country policing organisations and civil society to lawfully respond to gender-based violence, deliver prevention initiatives and provide services to the victims of gender-based violence.

Protection

Objective

The AFP’s Protection function ensures that individuals and interests that the Commonwealth identifies as being at risk are kept safe from acts of terrorism, crime and issue-motivated violence.

Operational Activities

The AFP delivers protective security services in a range of settings. It is informed by a decision-making framework that focuses on intelligence and risk analysis, information sharing and collaboration with Commonwealth, state and territory partner organisations.

The AFP Protection function’s activities require a concentration of resources on preventing criminal acts, supported by intelligence-led threat and risk analysis. Operational activities include uniform patrols and response, close personal protection, witness protection and special events planning. The Protection function also provides capabilities designed to respond to armed incidents and increased threat levels.

Close Personal Protection

During 2014–15 the AFP provided close personal protection in national and international settings to Australian high office holders, the diplomatic community, visiting dignitaries, internationally protected persons and other individuals deemed to be at risk. The AFP provided:

• close personal protection for 30 visits to Australia by internationally protected persons
• support for 33 overseas visits by Australian high office holders
• support for major events such as:
  • the 2014 G20 Leaders’ Summit
  • Anzac Day centenary commemorations at Gallipoli in Turkey and Villers-Bretonneux in France
  • the Asian Football Confederation Cup
  • the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup
• close personal protection to a large number of Australian high office holders
• coordination of protective security arrangements for the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia in collaboration with the Indonesian National Police at the Australian Embassy, Jakarta.

Uniform Protection

AFP protective service officers delivered high-visibility protective security at critical infrastructure sites and establishments that are of interest to the Commonwealth. During 2014–15 uniform protection services were delivered to:

• diplomatic and consular missions in Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney
• Commonwealth Government establishments, including:
  • Australian Parliament House
  • the official residences of the Prime Minister and the Governor-General in Canberra and Sydney
  • the High Court of Australia
  • the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia
  • the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
  • designated Defence establishments across Australia
• Australian and foreign high office holders on an as-needed basis.

Protection Liaison

AFP Protection Liaison is responsible for assessing and identifying threats that have the potential to lead to violence or threaten Commonwealth interests. The AFP engages regularly with representatives from the offices of high office holders, members of the diplomatic and business communities, protest groups and law enforcement partners. The team often contributes to the referral of matters to AFP Crime Operations for ongoing investigation and potential prosecution.

The AFP Protection Assessment team collects and analyses information and intelligence about threats to designated Australian high office holders, internationally protected persons, visiting foreign dignitaries, designated Commonwealth establishments and diplomatic or consular missions, both in Australia and offshore. The information the team collects is then used to reduce the AFP’s vulnerability to threat activity by providing proactive, predictive threat intelligence.

Special Events

2014 G20 Leaders’ Summit

The 2014 G20 Leaders’ Summit, held in Brisbane, attracted the world’s most powerful and influential political and business personalities, including the leaders of the world’s 20 most economically viable states. The G20 Leaders’ Summit was attended by:

• 21 heads of government
• six G20 invited guest country leaders (including leaders from Spain, Myanmar, Mauritania, Senegal, New Zealand and Singapore)
• seven heads of international organisations (the Financial Stability Board, the International Labour Organisation, the International Monetary Fund, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United Nations, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization).

More than 6,400 police officers from Australia and New Zealand were committed under the operation and were dedicated to protecting the safety, security and dignity of the event and the Internationally Protected Persons in attendance.

Australia hosted five Guest of Government visits of Internationally Protected Persons in the lead-up to and after the G20 Leaders’ Summit. The AFP was responsible for planning and implementing dignitary protection measures in Canberra and coordinating with state and territory police that were responsible for planning and implementing protective security measures within their respective jurisdictions.

The five Guest of Government visits were by:

• the Rt Hon Mr David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• His Excellency Mr Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China
• the Hon Mr Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India
• His Excellency Mr François Hollande, President of the French Republic
• Her Excellency Dr Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.

To support the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the AFP committed 641 members and coordinated its activities through AFP Protection’s G20 Special Event Planning Team. The team commenced operations in 2012 to ensure integration, planning and delivery were aligned with the expectations of partner agencies, including the Queensland Police Service and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The AFP provided the following capabilities in support of the G20 Leaders’ Summit:

• Protection
  • command, control and coordination
  • close personal protection (dignitary protection)
  • uniform protection site security at 12 accommodation venues and Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre
  • protection liaison (Field Intelligence Officers)
• Aviation policing, including canine capability
• High Tech Crime Operations
  • physical and technical surveillance
• Specialist Response Group
  • police tactical group (including marksmen)
  • maritime (including water police and police dive teams)
  • bomb response team
• Intelligence
• Investigations
• Media
• Criminal Records
• Operations Support.

It was a complex operation that involved both national and state governments. It proved particularly challenging when the National Terrorism Public Alert System level was raised to ‘high’ and the threat level for the event was raised to medium.

The harmony between the event and security is evidence of the genuine and integrated partnerships between all of the stakeholders. The secure, peaceful and dignified delivery of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the largest peacetime security operation in Australia, was the result of planning and the close partnership that was maintained with all relevant stakeholders.

Protection of sporting events

The AFP played an integral role in the whole-of-government response to ensuring security at the Asian Football Confederation Cup and the International Cricket Council World Cup, held between 9 January and 29 March 2015. Both events were granted ‘special event’ status with accompanying government guarantees to ensure safety and security.

AFP members were attached to various teams throughout both events as part of a wider national security overlay working closely with travelling team officials, Australian Government representatives, jurisdictional police and local organising committee staff.

The AFP developed a number of new concepts in delivering a coordinated national security overlay for the conduct of the events. They included:

• the implementation of the National Police Information Assessment Centre—a centralised hub coordinating situational awareness amongst key stakeholders, including state and territory police
• the AFP Liaison Officer model—a model under which individual members were assigned to specific teams to act as a conduit between team management, state and territory police and the broader AFP.

Both of these initiatives improved interagency operational planning and response by sharing information collected from a wide range of sources.

Anzac Day 2015

Anzac Day 2015 marked the centenary of the landing of ANZAC troops at Gallipoli, Turkey in 1915. It was a significant milestone and historic event within Australia and in several other countries around the world.

The AFP had a presence at Anzac services held at Gallipoli, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair in Turkey, and at Villers-Bretonneux and Bullecourt in France. The AFP undertook significant planning for the Anzac services, including extensive liaison with law enforcement counterparts before the events to ensure security expectations were met.

The AFP deployed 14 members to Turkey and four members to France.

Forensics

Objective

The AFP’s Forensics function provides forensic science and technical intelligence capability to the AFP and is the sole provider of this capability to the Commonwealth.

In 2014–15 in an environment of heightened operational demand, the AFP provided a world-class forensic science service to enable and support the operational and strategic imperatives of the AFP. AFP operations have been integral to the successful law enforcement response to national and international forensic operations in a rapidly changing environment.

By continuing to enhance its technical capabilities, the AFP has positioned itself as a leader in its field, providing investigators with innovative intelligence and evidence collection methods that, in many cases, form the crucial link between offence and offender.

Operations

Demand for forensic support to AFP operations has been consistently trending upward for several years. The AFP successfully meets this challenge through flexible deployment of specialist resources and proactive consultancy with investigators to ensure relevant and effective forensic outcomes.

Capability Enhancements

A key focus has been providing support to counter terrorism operations. New facial recognition technology is yielding results in this field. The capacity to exchange images across law enforcement and Commonwealth agencies has provided key links in a number of investigations.

Other specialist technical developments during the reporting period include:

• the imaging and geomatics capability, which provides high-end search and scene recording capability. This allowed the AFP to net large quantities of secreted contraband or critical items of evidence that would not have been located without this specialist capability
• handwriting comparisons and indentation analysis, which supported investigations and, when corroborated with other information (such as fingerprints or DNA), linked individuals to fraudulent, threatening or otherwise probative documents
• developing a new forensic capability in which soil is linked to its region of origin. The scope of the project is being expanded to enhance the operational benefits, including analysis of pollen to narrow the region of origin.

Drug Detection

Several achievements during the year highlighted the continual innovation and scientific development in support of drug investigations. For example, National Association of Testing Authorities accreditation was extended to allow limited in-house analysis of illicit drug samples, resulting in expedited reporting to investigators in applicable circumstances.

The continued success of the National Forensic Rapid Lab in establishing forensic intelligence links in serial drug importations highlighted the calibre of specialist capability provided by AFP Forensics. The National Forensic Rapid Lab collaborates with external agencies to intercept drugs and other illicit materials, including firearms, firearms parts and false identity documents, that have been illegally imported into Australia through the international mail stream. Examples of the success of the National Forensic Rapid Lab in preventing illicit drugs from reaching Australian streets include:

• the range of illicit substances detected, including methamphetamine, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, MDMA and pharmaceuticals
• the lab’s successful detection of substances that had been concealed in a range of materials such as toys, paper, clothing and cosmetics.

Other specialist capability enhancements include successful completion of the National Drug Precursor Risk Assessment Capability project. The Attorney-General’s Department used the capability outcomes to propose consistent legislation in Australia to regulate precursor chemicals.

Likewise, the Drug Monitoring System was launched as a resource on novel psychoactive substances and precursors for illicit drug manufacture. The system currently has information on more than 700 novel psychoactive substances, including their chemical identity and legislative status.

The Enhanced National Intelligence Picture on Illicit Drugs project has continued to be successful. In collaboration with state and territory police forces, the project has enabled identification of forensic links for illicit drugs within and between jurisdictions.

Collaboration

In 2014–15 collaboration with partner agencies enabled the AFP to contribute its forensic science and technical intelligence expertise to law enforcement activities and operations.

During 2014–15 the AFP helped establish new digital forensic capabilities for the Fiji Police Force. For example, it helped the Fiji Police Force to obtain new equipment and provided specialist training. The AFP also delivered mobile device forensic training to agencies in the Maldives and Sri Lanka and a digital evidence training program in Pakistan.

The AFP provided assistance to the Indonesian National Police through pre- and post-blast investigators training courses and had close engagement with Southeast Asian countries through Interpol training workshops, including the Chemical Anti-Smuggling Enforcement Program.

The AFP is a significant contributor to law enforcement policy and takes a leading role in providing advice on national and international policy including:

• biometrics, including DNA, facial recognition and fingerprints
• firearms
• international engagement and partnership
• illicit drugs, particularly drug analogues, precursors and novel psychoactive substances
• national security.

New Forensics Facility

Construction of a new forensics facility in Canberra is entering its final stages. The new accommodation will provide state-of-the-art forensic facilities, enhancing and expanding the AFP’s capability to disrupt criminal activity through best-practice and contemporary science.

The new facility will function around a forensic operations hub that will enable AFP Forensics to contribute rapid intelligence to investigations and considered opinions to judicial proceedings. The facility is scheduled to be fully operational by late 2015.

Intelligence

Objective

The AFP’s Intelligence function provides advice to the AFP’s strategic and operational decision-makers on law enforcement and national security priorities, especially serious and organised crime and counter terrorism. It also provides high-value covert services to enable law enforcement to disrupt criminal activity in Australia and offshore.

The AFP cooperates with law enforcement partners in national and international operations and participates in multi-agency task forces and forums.

Remodelling of the Intelligence Function

The Integrated Intelligence Model was implemented on 3 March 2015. The model is designed to enhance:

• tactical intelligence input into AFP operations
• identification of convergences and vulnerabilities in criminal activity across investigations to streamline targeting of organised criminals
• cooperation with national and international partners
• alignment of intelligence outcomes with government, organisational and operational priorities
• efficiency in the allocation of Intelligence function resources in a tightening fiscal environment.

The model also clarifies the Intelligence function’s role within the AFP and its standing within the Australian intelligence community.

National Security

The AFP developed a range of tactical and operational counter terrorism intelligence that has:

• influenced tactical, operational and strategic decision-making
• identified persons of interest and investigative opportunities
• guided investigative activity focused on disrupting domestic terrorist attacks, including the activation of three Joint Intelligence Groups
• supported the AFP-led National Disruption Group, including in diversion programs conducted under the Australian Government’s Countering Violent Extremism Strategy
• contributed to the Australian Government and international law enforcement counter terrorism intelligence efforts.

Working with Domestic and International Agencies

Intelligence staff participated in, and/or led, the Joint Analysis Groups within the three Joint Intelligence Groups that the AFP activated during this period in support of major counter terrorism investigations. Intelligence assessments that the Joint Analysis Groups made informed operational decision-making and action.

The Joint Intelligence Groups and Joint Analysis Groups comprise representatives from the AFP, the NSW Police Force, Victoria Police, the Australian Crime Commission, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the Department of Defence and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

The AFP also seconded a staff member to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The member was closely involved in developing information management and retrieval processes and assisting victims of abuse in the information gathering processes of the Royal Commission.

The AFP continues to support Operation Arew—the criminal investigation into the downing of MH17 in Ukraine. Intelligence members provide high-quality assessments and advice to AFP members and international counterparts in support of the independent international investigation.

Publications

In 2014–15 AFP Intelligence disseminated 3,052 reports in support of operations, national security and strategic decision-making to national and international partners.

AFP Intelligence also disseminated 1,490 reports on behalf of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the Office of National Assessments, the Australian Crime Commission and international partners such as the United States New York Police Department, the Joint Interagency Task Force West and the United Kingdom National Crime Agency.

Covert Policing

Human source and covert policing capabilities enable the AFP to disrupt criminal activity in Australia and offshore in a secure, ethical and accountable manner.

In 2014–15 the AFP implemented recommendations from a review of its covert services. Processes were streamlined and the governance framework revised, resulting in operational efficiencies and an increased engagement of the capability.

G20

Covert policing activities provided timely and accurate intelligence on issue-motivated groups that had stated an intent to cause violent disruption to the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brisbane during November 2014. This contributed to the safe and successful conduct of the summit.

Illicit Drugs

Covert policing activities provided intelligence which contributed to the identification of an organised crime network involved in the importation of MDMA through the air cargo postal stream. This resulted in the seizure of 8.5 kilograms of MDMA and disruption of the organised crime network.

Offshore

Covert policing activities provided assistance to a foreign law enforcement agency, which contributed to the disruption of an international drug cartel and seizure of about 1,075 kilograms of cocaine.

Combating Criminal Infiltration of Major Sporting Events

To prevent and disrupt organised criminal threats to integrity in sport, such as match fixing and illegal betting, the AFP entered into memorandums of understanding on cooperation and information exchange with:

• Asian Football Confederation Cup
• International Cricket Council World Cup
• Football Federation of Australia
• International Cricket Council
• Sportradar
• State of Victoria through the Racing Integrity Commissioner
• Tennis Australia Ltd.

The AFP, together with other law enforcement and government agencies, worked with sporting bodies to plan and implement anti-corruption strategies for major 2015 sporting events—the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup and the International Cricket Council World Cup. Strategies included proactively targeting and disrupting known match fixers. At the conclusion of the events, it was determined there was no evidence of match fixing or related offences.

Operations Support

Objective

The AFP’s Operations Support function:

• provides centralised monitoring, initial response, legal, coordination and communications support to AFP operations
• implements and manages the AFP’s security posture, including the Protective Security Policy Framework
• delivers the next generation of systems and processes
• oversees portfolio, program and project management.

AFP Operations Coordination Centre

The AFP Operations Coordination Centre is the primary point of contact for partner Australian Government agencies; state, territory and international police services; and members of the public.

The Operations Coordination Centre provides a 24/7 capability for centralised monitoring, initial response, coordination and communications for AFP national and international operations.

The centre’s functions include:

• managing Australia’s National Central Bureau and National Contact Point to facilitate Interpol and Europol requests respectively
• providing initial management of family law recovery orders and family law arrest warrants
• managing watch lists for the AFP, including watch lists for state and territory police services and Commonwealth and state authorities
• providing initial management of the National Child Offender System alerts (formerly the Australian National Child Offender Register alerts)
• providing the AFP national radio communications network
• facilitating AFP inquiries with external agencies, including telecommunications providers
• receiving and evaluating investigation referrals from the public, client agencies and law enforcement partners
• coordinating deployment of the Family Investigation Liaison Officer Program
• administering the governance and requirements for the AFP’s management of property and exhibits.

In 2014–15 the Operations Coordination Centre processed operational requests including:

• 479 family law recovery orders and arrest warrants
• 12,763 National Security Hotline reports
• 13,344 information reports.

In 2014–15 there was an increase of approximately 20 per cent in the number of Interpol and Europol requests to the AFP. In managing this increase, the AFP restructured Australia’s Interpol National Central Bureau and Europol National Contact Point into a dedicated unit, which provided greater opportunity to review processes, practices and priorities. The top three types of crimes actioned through the Interpol National Central Bureau were child sex offences, drug offences and fraud.

The Operations Coordination Centre also:

• initiates and supports the coordination of AFP crisis and emergency management responses to incidents
• initiates and supports the AFP command, control and coordination of select complex operations and planned major events.

Through the ICC, the AFP works with government and law enforcement partners during whole-of-government response and consequence management operations.

Legal

AFP Legal actively supports the strategic pillars of the AFP by providing ongoing, dedicated risk management support and legal advice across all functions of the AFP both domestically and internationally.

AFP Legal has delivered a significant range of advice to support organisational investigations including counter terrorism, fraud and anti-corruption and new national security legislative reform.

Legal advice and assistance has also been provided for a range of major infrastructure projects, including a new AFP forensics facility in Canberra, and a number of major technology projects, including Program Spectrum and the Data Centre Transition Program.

AFP Legal advises extensively across the AFP in civil litigation and a variety of administrative, employment and industrial matters before the Fair Work Commission, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the Federal Circuit Court and the Australian Human Rights Commission.

AFP Legal also manages compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth), the Archives Act 1983 (Cth) and the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Despite increasing demand for access to information, the number of requests awaiting processing decreased by approximately 50 per cent over 2014–15. The average response time for applicants has also reduced.

Proceeds of Crime Litigation

As part of the AFP-led multi-agency Commonwealth Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT), the Proceeds of Crime Litigation (POCL) function contributes to the outcome of disrupting and deterring serious and organised crime by taking the profit out of crime.

In 2014–15 POCL (on behalf of the CACT) has successfully restrained more than $246.6 million in criminal assets, making it the most successful year to date. POCL also engaged in substantial legislative and policy reform, including the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Unexplained Wealth and Other Measures) Act 2015 (Cth).

POCL continues to strengthen its international and domestic stakeholder relationships by:

• continuing to engage with Camden Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (CARIN)—a network of proceeds of crime experts set up in Europe to facilitate speedy and informal interaction between countries regarding proceeds of crime matters
• participating in the CARIN Annual General Meeting and Conference in October 2014. This was an important opportunity for the AFP to participate in the development and structure of the network that is utilised by POCL and the task force more broadly
• participating in the Asset Recovery Interagency Network—Asia Pacific (ARIN–AP), a regional network based on CARIN. Australia holds the 2015 presidency of ARIN–AP
• participating in the Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation Capacity Building Workshop, which helped to strengthen and develop asset recovery networks within the Asia–Pacific region
• hosting an Asset Management Workshop for senior practitioners from Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia in November 2014.

Security

The AFP operates in a challenging cyber and personal security environment and the security of AFP members and operations is paramount. The AFP’s Security branch manages the physical, operational and personal security of the AFP in line with the Commonwealth Protective Security Policy Framework. The branch:

• provides intelligence and risk-based security mitigation measures to protect personnel, assets and information in Australia and throughout the AFP’s international operations
• reports annually to the Minister for Justice on the AFP’s compliance with the Protective Security Policy Framework
• continues to develop greater personal and physical threat intelligence access and reporting to protect the AFP.

In 2014–15 the AFP:

• worked with partner agencies to improve Commonwealth personal security vetting and management standards
• developed an insider threat mitigation strategy to manage potential internal threats
• developed strategies to enhance security measures in line with an increase in the National Terrorism Public Alert System level and the increase in counter terrorism threats to police nationally
• developed threat and risk assessments for complex operations such as Operation Arew in Ukraine and other counter terrorism operations
• undertook a review of physical security on AFP facilities and implemented enhanced security measures
• collaborated with fellow law enforcement organisations and international partners to better share security intelligence and strategies to protect members throughout Australia and overseas
• undertook a review of its physical security on AFP facilities and implemented enhanced security measures.

Spectrum and Strategic Programs

The Spectrum Program is the body responsible for the replacement of the AFP’s current operational business systems, including Police Real-time On-line Management Information System (PROMIS), Evidence Management System (EMS) and the Complaint Recording and Management System (CRAMS).

The Spectrum Program is responsible for developing next-generation operational systems and processes, including major system components to support operational capabilities. The Spectrum Program continued to work to advance the implementation of an investigations, intelligence and incident management system, and this project is currently in the system design phase.

The Information Management Program is responsible for developing the strategic direction on information management and managing this capability for the AFP. In 2014–15 the Information Management Program initiated an information governance framework for the organisation.

The Information Management Program also coordinates the Information Steward Network, which was established to champion information management in the organisation and facilitate information management projects and activities. The network comprises two representatives from each AFP function.

The AFP Portfolio Management Office centrally manages change initiatives (new policy proposals, projects and programs) to ensure they remain strategically aligned and will achieve the desired outcomes. In 2014–15 the AFP’s investment portfolio consisted of 99 change initiatives across a range of maintenance, enhancement and new capability activities, totalling AUD$148 million. The Portfolio, Program and Project Management Maturity (P3M3) Assessment conducted in December 2014 identified that the AFP had met its maturity targets and is well placed to continue to manage change initiatives effectively and efficiently.

Chief of Staff

Objective

The Chief of Staff function enables the AFP to take a centralised approach to engagement with external stakeholders through strategic policy development, enhanced engagement with government and corporate communications. The function ensures that the AFP’s advice to government, parliament and partner agencies on policing issues is coordinated, accurate, relevant and timely.

Policy

In 2014–15 the Chief of Staff function coordinated the AFP’s engagement in whole-of-government decision-making processes and the development of AFP strategic policy on the evolving national security environment. Chief of Staff was involved in:

• addressing the threat of foreign fighters by securing funding to:
  • establish the AFP-led National Disruption Group
  • establish the Community Diversion and Monitoring Team
  • increase the AFP’s international engagement with additional liaison officers at overseas posts
• enhancing protective security measures at Australian Parliament House and Commonwealth parliamentary offices
• enhancing close personal protection for Australian high office holders and foreign dignitaries
• formulating advice to the National Security Committee of Cabinet on critical matters of national security
• contributing to the Five Country Ministerial meeting, held February 2015 in London in the United Kingdom on issues of security, serious and organised crime and cooperative border management
• supporting the AFP Executive through the internal governance forums
• leading AFP policy engagement in the federal budget process
• contributing to whole-of-government strategic initiatives, including:
  • border management reforms, including the establishment of Australian Border Force
  • Operation Sovereign Borders Joint Agency Task Force
  • reforms to governance arrangements on Norfolk Island, specifically the establishment of the continued AFP policing presence
  • the establishment of the National Ice Taskforce and development of the National Ice Action Strategy
• coordinating and assisting with the AFP’s contribution to Australia’s membership of the United Nations Security Council.

Chief of Staff assisted AFP engagement in other law reform related reviews and inquiries, including the Independent National Security Legislation Monitors inquiry into section 35P of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (Cth) to assess any impact on journalists of the operation of section 35P.

Law Enforcement Liaison

The AFP’s strategic engagement with domestic and international law enforcement partners was supported through the Commissioner’s membership of:

• Australian Crime Commission Board of Management
• Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency Board
• Australia New Zealand Police Commissioners’ Forum
• CrimTrac Board of Management
• Heads of Commonwealth Operational Law Enforcement Agencies
• Law, Crime and Community Safety Council
• National Justice and Policing Senior Officials Group
• Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group.

A number of key policy themes were progressed through these forums, including national security, serious and organised crime, enhanced information sharing, family violence and legislative reform.

Parliamentary and Ministerial Support

The Chief of Staff function supported parliamentary processes, through the Minister for Justice, by coordinating and preparing AFP ministerial briefings, correspondence and responses to questions on notice for parliamentary committees, question time and Senate estimates hearings.

Parliamentary Committee Reports

AFP Chief of Staff supported parliamentary scrutiny of proposed amendments (including private members’ or senators’ bills) and the effectiveness of existing legislation through submissions to, and appearances before, parliamentary committees, including:

• Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security inquiries into the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2014, the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Bill (No 1) 2014 and the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill 2014
• Senate Economics References Committee inquiry into digital currency
• Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee inquiries into the ability of Australian law enforcement authorities to eliminate gun-related violence in the community and the AFP’s Oil for Food Taskforce
• House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications inquiry into the use of subsection 313(3) of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth)
• Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement examination of the AFP 2013–14 annual report and inquiry into crystal methamphetamine
• Law Reform, Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee (Parliament of Victoria) inquiry into the supply and use of methamphetamine, particularly the drug ice, in Victoria (final report)
• Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade Inquiry into the potential use by the Australian Defence Force of unmanned air, maritime and land platforms
• Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport inquiry into airport and aviation security
• Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory inquiry into the use of the drug ice.

Legislative Reform

To support the government’s law reform proposals and to represent the AFP interests in law reform the Chief of Staff function coordinated AFP input into legislative review and reform processes relating to criminal law and law enforcement.

This work enabled the AFP to shape and influence a range of significant national security legislative reforms to support Commonwealth policing and the Commonwealth Government’s commitment to strengthening national security, including:

• Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Act 2014
• Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment Act (No 1) 2014
• Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Act 2015
• Crimes Legislation Amendment (Psychoactive Substances and Other Measures) Act 2015
• Enhancing Online Safety for Children Act 2015
• Crimes Legislation Amendment (Unexplained Wealth and Other Measures) Act 2015.

Communications

A number of significant communication milestones were achieved in 2014–15 most notably in the growth of the AFP’s profile on social media.

The AFP Facebook page passed the milestone of 200,000 ‘likes’—an increase of approximately 130,000 over last year. The audience size increased by 13 per cent in the first three months of 2015. Online Circle Digital (Facebook Performance Report) identified the AFP as the second fastest growing page within the Australian Government.

The Production and Online teams uploaded 37 videos to the AFP’s YouTube channel. The number of viewings of AFP material through the YouTube channel increased significantly from 4,799 to 186,870 in 2014–15.

The AFP National Media Twitter account is followed by 6,078 journalists, opinion leaders and members of the public (as at 30 June 2015).

In 2014–15 the AFP National Media Team managed a number of significant media activities, including:

• 2,780 media enquiries—an increase of 638 (30 per cent)
• 652 sets of talking points—an increase of 122 (23 per cent)
• 153 media releases
• 38 media events.

The AFP National Media Team managed a significantly increased number of national security related media enquiries—a total of 1,025 for the reporting period.

The Strategic Communications Team developed and provided communication support to a range of internal and external initiatives, including the promotion of AFP recruitment opportunities for sworn policing, Graduate Program and Directions Program intakes. In 2014–15 the team coordinated or supported key community awareness campaigns including:

• National Missing Persons Week
• International Missing Children’s Day
• National Identity Fraud Awareness Week
• National Child Protection Week.

The AFP’s key stakeholder publication, Platypus Magazine, was published twice during the reporting period. An online version of Platypus Magazine and an app were launched on 3 December 2014.

Corporate Governance

Key Committees Framework

The AFP key committees framework sets out the agency’s primary decision-making forums and outlines their responsibilities, membership, meeting frequency and accountabilities.

Strategic and Governance Committees

AFP strategic committees address issues that correspond to the specific responsibilities of the AFP’s peak advisory committee, the Strategic Leaders’ Group, and provide regular and strategic information to the Strategic Leaders’ Group. The strategic and governance committees are:

• Audit Committee
• Board of Studies
• Finance Committee and its subcommittee, the Performance and Budget Monitoring Committee
• International Policy Coordination Group
• Knowledge and Innovation Committee
• National Managers’ Forum
• National Awards and Recognition Committee
• National Work Health and Safety Committee
• Quarterly Strategic Human Resource Forum
• Remuneration Committee
• Security Committee
• Strategic Investment Committee.

Operational Committees

The operational committees were established to facilitate senior managers’ operational awareness and provide a forum for effective prioritisation across the organisation without an emphasis on the priorities of any one function. The operational committees are:

• AFP Operations Committee
• Operational Safety Committee
• Weekly Operations Committee
• Witness Protection Committee.

Business Continuity Planning

The AFP has business continuity plans in place for each of its key sites across Australia. Exercises to test the plans are conducted every six months using three scenarios: loss of infrastructure, loss of information and communications technology (ICT) systems and loss of people.

Disaster recovery plans are also in place for critical ICT systems and services that support AFP operations. In the event of an influenza pandemic, business continuity is planned for and managed in a whole-of-government context in line with the requirements of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The AFP is continuing with its Business Continuity Management Improvement Project to address several recommendations from a September 2014 internal audit of the AFP’s business continuity management. The project continued to deliver stronger governance and processes throughout 2014–15.

Discretionary Grants

Information on grants that the AFP awarded during the period 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015 is available at www.afp.gov.au/about-the-afp/accountability-requirements/grants.

Fraud Control and Anti-Corruption Plan

The AFP is committed to managing fraud and corruption risks as part of its everyday business and promotes a culture of ethical conduct and behaviour. The AFP’s Fraud Control and Anti-Corruption Plan and policy statement apply to all appointees, contractors and service providers and are consistent with the AFP’s professional standards framework.

Fraud and corruption risks are reviewed regularly. The Strategic Leaders’ Group and the Audit Committee monitor progress on the implementation of the plan as part of their oversight and assurance roles.

More information on the AFP’s professional standards framework and performance in controlling fraud and corruption risk can be found under ‘External scrutiny’ in this chapter.

Governance

The AFP manages its governance through each of its functions and portfolios. The Chief of Staff and Operations Support functions manage the AFP whole-of-agency governance and contribute to business performance, assurance and accountability by:

• reviewing and developing the AFP’s organisational performance framework, including preparing the planned performance section of the Portfolio Budget Statements
• developing the AFP Corporate Plan 2015–19 through consultation with the AFP’s senior executive and in accordance with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cth)
• monitoring organisational performance throughout the AFP, with particular emphasis on the joint reporting of both operational success and organisational health
• conducting the annual business satisfaction survey, which measures external stakeholder/partner satisfaction
• managing and delivering the AFP’s Internal Audit Program, including tabling 16 audit reports for consideration by the AFP Audit Committee focusing on aspects of AFP business operations such as intelligence, surveillance, ICT, workforce planning and a range of corporate systems. Key outcomes of the audits included improvements to process design and ongoing risk management
• delivering AFP compliance obligations under the Archives Act 1983 (Cth)
• delivering AFP compliance obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including any revisions in process due to the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act (Cth), which came into effect in March 2014
• publishing information on the AFP website, under both the AFP’s Information Publication Scheme and our FOI Disclosure Log requirements under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth).

Internal Audit

In 2014–15 the AFP Executive-endorsed annual Internal Audit Program was delivered using in-house and external resources. The AFP Audit Committee met four times and considered 16 internal audit reports. The annual internal audit program was developed taking into consideration risk assessments that identified the AFP’s most significant potential vulnerabilities.

The Audit Committee allocates responsibility for implementing recommendations from the internal audit and relevant Australian National Audit Office audits to AFP business units. Progress is monitored through regular implementation reporting to the Audit Committee.

Risk Management and Insurance

As an operational law enforcement agency, the AFP embraces risk management as an integral part of its business. The safety and wellbeing of AFP personnel is the first and foremost consideration within the AFP’s Strategic Risk Profile.

The AFP’s risk management framework aligns with the Commonwealth Risk Management Policy, international standards and Comcover’s better practice guide on risk management. Risk management is embedded in AFP business planning, operations, procurement and contract management, and project management. Risk management also features in the AFP Leadership Philosophy and is actively considered in internal resource allocation and investment decision-making.

During 2014–15 the AFP’s risk management governance was further strengthened by:

• integrating risk assessment training into the AFP’s induction and targeted operational courses and workshops
• refining guidance materials, including an updated AFP National Guideline and AFP Fraud Control and Anti-Corruption Plan, to further integrate risk management into business processes
• implementing a consistent approach to communicating and reporting on risk and raising awareness of the importance of risk management across the organisation.

Comcover insurance is a key component of the AFP’s strategy for mitigating and managing financial risk. The AFP participates in the annual Comcover Risk Management Benchmarking Survey, which encourages agencies to adopt a best-practice approach to managing risk. This year, entities were asked to select a risk maturity target that represented their aspirational state of risk management capability in the next 12 months. The AFP selected and achieved an overall target level of ‘integrated’ risk management maturity.

Ecologically Sustainable Development and Environmental Performance

In 2014–15 the ICT function further improved the AFP’s ecological sustainability with reference to the Australian Government ICT Sustainability Plan 2010–2015.

The AFP has implemented a range of enhanced ecologically sustainable development measures, including the National Australian Built Environment Rating System and the use of environmentally efficient design, sustainable materials and recyclable products. Ongoing projects include:

• waste management systems that include segregation of waste into recyclable, organic and waste-to-landfill
• energy-efficient lighting and lighting control systems
• viability assessment of solar energy technologies
• water conservation technology and rainwater harvesting.

The Data Centre Transition Program has ensured the continued consolidation of ICT equipment. The simulation of actual hardware to allow software to run unmodified, known as ‘virtualisation’, has also progressed. This has a number of benefits, as virtualised devices enable smooth scalability, reduce the carbon footprint and simplify disaster recovery. Costs are lowered because less physical hardware is required and savings can be made for incidentals such as electricity, down times and maintenance.

The sustained effort in reducing mechanical power consumption at the current Data Centres has achieved substantial power savings and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

External Scrutiny

Auditor-General Reports

During the reporting period, the Australian National Audit Office audited the AFP’s financial statements.

As at 30 June 2015, the AFP was the primary subject of one Australian National Audit Office performance audit:

• The Australian Federal Police’s Management of its Use of Force regime.

The audit is still in progress. The Auditor-General is expected to table the report to the parliament in 2015–16.

As at 30 June 2015, the AFP was an active participant in the following cross-agency audit:

• Cyber Attacks Securing Entities ICT Systems.

The audit is still in progress and is to be tabled in Spring 2015.

Audit Report No 4—Confidentiality in Government Contracts

The Australian National Audit Office conducted a cross-agency performance audit of the Confidentiality in Government Contracts: Senate Order for Departmental and Agency Contracts, which assessed the appropriateness of the use and reporting of confidentiality provisions in Australian Government contracts. The AFP was an active participant in this audit.

This was the 14th in a series of audits that fulfils the Senate request for an annual report on compliance with the order. The audit was completed during 2014 and tabled in parliament in September 2014.

The report contained two recommendations that are likely to be relevant for all agencies:

• a recommendation for improving the practical support for staff in assessing and reporting on confidentiality provisions
• a recommendation for increasing the accuracy of contract reporting.

The AFP has a number of controls in place that are designed to ensure the correct use of confidentiality provisions. The controls administered by the AFP’s National Procurement and Contracts (NPC) area were acknowledged as effective in the ANAO report. One of these is the central procurement unit, which was acknowledged in the report. NPC also has a key role in monitoring and ensuring the accuracy of reported contract information.

Although there were no specific findings for the agency, the AFP agreed with the two general recommendations that arose from the audit.

Australian Information Commissioner Determinations

During 2014–15 the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner made nine determinations concerning AFP freedom of information decisions. Of the nine published determinations, four provided the applicant with greater access to the documents and five upheld the original decision under review.

Commonwealth Ombudsman Reports

Reviews of AFP Complaint Management

Division 7 of Part V of the AFP Act requires the Commonwealth Ombudsman to conduct at least one annual review of the AFP’s administration of Part V of the AFP Act and report to parliament on the results of any such reviews.

During the reporting period, the Ombudsman reported findings from 2013–14. Overall, the Ombudsman found that the AFP has a comprehensive administrative framework governing the management of complaints it receives from both members of the public and AFP appointees, and that it administers this framework adequately.

The findings of the Ombudsman’s 2014–15 review will be reported and published in 2015–16.

Complaint Management

Part V of the AFP Act defines the categories of complaints about AFP appointees. Complaints are dealt with as breaches of the AFP Code of Conduct, which fall into one of the four categories set out in the AFP Act. Conduct issues falling within Category 1 are the least serious and relate mainly to customer service. Category 2 complaints relate to minor misconduct, inappropriate or unsatisfactory behaviour. Category 3 complaints relate to serious misconduct that does not give rise to a corruption issue. Category 4 complaints relate to corruption, and these are referred to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI).

In 2014–15 the AFP received a total of 477 complaints—a decrease on the previous reporting period figure of 522. The number of new alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct received by the AFP increased from the previous reporting period: there were 934 new alleged breaches for 2014–15 compared with 873 alleged breaches for 2013–14. However, the figure has decreased overall from the previous two reporting periods (see Figure 8 below and Appendix A).

Note: Category 1 is the least severe. More detail in Appendix A.

Judicial Decisions and Decisions of Administrative Tribunals

During 2014–15 there were no judicial decisions or decisions of administrative tribunals that have had, or may have, a significant impact on the AFP.

Strengthening Professional Standards

The AFP has recently commenced a body of work to review the Fisher Model of complaint management to ensure standards remain high and its professional standards framework is consistent with better practice.

The AFP has provided support to ACLEI, and other agencies under ACLEI’s jurisdiction, in corruption prevention and investigations support when requested.

The AFP works closely with ACLEI, the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s Office and the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency to share experience in the areas of recruitment and selection, recognising and treating integrity risks, understanding conflicts of interest and ensuring confidence in reporting mechanisms and complaint management. Representatives from ACLEI and the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s Office continue to present at a range of AFP training programs.

A range of educational programs were provided during the year—for example, respectful workplace training, integrity and ethical decision-making workshops for Leadership on the Frontline participants, pre-deployment preparation and mentoring of recruits.

The AFP Drug Program continues to be an important element of the AFP’s Integrity Framework. The drug testing program is seen as a benchmark program. The AFP liaises with its jurisdictional partners in an advisory capacity with regard to drug testing.

The Professional Standards Unit assesses applicants to the AFP against character standards mandated in the employment character guidelines. The guidelines define minimum AFP character standards for prospective applicants. Assessment of an applicant’s character considers all available information and each applicant’s ability to comply with the AFP’s professional standards in both an official and private capacity. The guidelines contribute to meeting community expectations that all AFP appointees act with the highest level of integrity.

Finance and Commercial

The AFP’s Finance and Commercial function delivers a range of financial, property, asset management and shared services that support the AFP’s operations.

In 2014–15 AFP Finance and Commercial provided continued high-standard services to the public and internally to AFP’s onshore and international networks. Some key recent achievements include:

• contributing to multiple government working groups and discussion forums to assist with whole-of-government improved process and reform programs
• continuing to improve the efficiency of operations by promoting use of online applications; enhancing corporate system functionality; strengthening Enterprise Resource Planning through consistent upgrades; promoting stronger financial management and governance arrangements; and maintaining a strong control framework underpinned by the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cth)
• continuing to implement Program Jupiter by starting construction of the Gold Coast Operations Centre
• constructing the new forensics facility at Majura in Canberra
• managing a significant increase in requests for criminal history checks. Most noticeable was the provision of police and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation checks that directly contributed to protecting national security interests for the G20 Leaders’ Summit and its pre-meetings, as well as the Asian Football Confederation Cup and Cricket World Cup
• establishing an Integrated Regional Support Model as a ‘One AFP, One Corporate’ initiative to eliminate duplication and streamline service delivery
• delivering high-quality, value-added financial advice
• continuing to deliver strong financial management and control
• delivering unqualified financial statements.

Financial Performance

The AFP’s $1,336 million departmental operating income for 2014–15 comprised $1,061 million in government appropriation, $160 million from the ACT Government for policing services and $115 million in other revenue. In addition, the AFP received $35 million in government appropriation for departmental capital expenditure and $84 million in equity injections. The AFP also administered $18 million in expenses on behalf of the government in 2014–15.

In 2014–15 the AFP reported a departmental comprehensive loss of $100 million. Excluding the impact of unfunded depreciation of $95 million, the AFP recorded a deficit for the year of $5 million, less than 1 per cent variance from budget. The result was achieved in the context of a successful year in which the AFP has met all its performance targets and delivered effectively for the government on national security, on international deployments including in response to the downing of MH17 and in meeting international aid responsibilities.

Audited financial statements showing the AFP’s financial position are in Chapter 7.

Procurement

The AFP applies the Commonwealth Procurement Rules when procuring property and services, including consultancies. The rules are applied to activities through the Commissioner’s Financial Instructions with supporting guidelines.

The AFP has a centralised procurement and contracting team that actively promotes and focuses on compliance. In 2014–15 the AFP conducted a number of major tender processes including new supply arrangements for an Employee Assistance Program, Clinical Psychological Assessments of Entry Level Recruits, Courier and Freight Services and Internal Audit Services. The AFP also established a new arrangement for Alarm Monitoring Services.

The AFP supports small business participation in the Commonwealth Government procurement market. Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and Small Enterprise participation statistics are available on the Department of Finance’s website: http://www.finance.gov.au/procurement/statistics-on-commonwealth-purchasing-contracts/.

The AFP recognises the importance of ensuring that small businesses are paid on time. The results of the Survey of Australian Government Payments to Small Business are available on the Treasury’s website: http://www.treasury.gov.au/PublicationsAndMedia/Publications.

The AFP’s procurement practices support SMEs by promoting use of the Commonwealth Contracting Suite for low risk procurements valued under $200,000, encouraging the use of credit card payments when engaging small businesses and setting the default terms of payment for small business through the accounts payable system to seven calendar days.

Information on the value of contracts, including consultancies, is available at https://www.tenders.gov.au/. The AFP regularly reviews and updates its annual procurement plan and published the Senate Order on departmental and agency contracts on its website early in 2015. From mid-2015 this report will be available on the website via a link to AusTender https://www.tenders.gov.au/.

In 2014–15 the AFP entered into six contracts of $100,000 or more which did not provide for the Auditor-General to have access to the contractor’s premises. These contracts are detailed below.

Consultancies

During 2014–15 the AFP entered into 31 new consultancy contracts. The total actual expenditure on new consultancy contracts in 2014–15 was $672,511. In addition 13 ongoing consultancy contracts were active in 2014–15 involving a total actual expenditure of $662,106 (GST inclusive). Information on the value of individual contracts and consultancies is available on the AusTender website.

Prior to engaging consultants, the AFP takes into account the skills and resources required for the task, the skills available internally and the cost-effectiveness of engaging external expertise. The decisions to engage consultants were made in accordance with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cth), Commonwealth Procurement Rules and relevant internal policies.

Exempt Contracts

During 2014–15 the AFP did not publish on AusTender the details of 84 contracts, with a total value of $20,078,224 because the details would disclose exempt matters under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth).

Human Resources

The AFP’s Human Resources function underpins AFP operational outcomes by managing workforce governance arrangements, enterprise agreements, recruitment, workforce planning and diversity.

Workforce Overview

The AFP had 6,751 staff at 30 June 2015, including 3,550 sworn police and 681 Protective Service officers. Forty-four per cent of AFP staff were located outside the ACT, including 362 staff overseas and 30 serving in Commonwealth external territories. Thirty-five per cent of AFP staff were female, which is a higher proportion than as at 30 June 2014. Further AFP staffing statistics are in Appendix C.

The AFP experienced historically low attrition rates during 2014–15. Based on two–year trend data and effective 30 June 2015 the AFP attrition rate is currently 2.40 per cent. Attrition rates by sworn status are:

• sworn police—1.81 per cent
• sworn protective service officers—1.63 per cent
• unsworn staff—3.42 per cent.

Strategic Workforce Planning

In 2014–15 the AFP continued to implement a number of strategic projects to continually enhance the AFP workforce capability and flexibility and build on the AFP Strategic Workforce Plan 2013–2015. For example, the AFP:

• moved to the next phase of Program Atlas, delivering a roadmap that outlines the strategic direction for human resources information management within the AFP over the next five years
• expanded the Job Family Model. The Job Family Model is a whole-of-government initiative (developed by the Australian Public Service Commissioner) that has been adopted by the AFP. It enables an organisation to categorise its workforce into major groups that have the same skills, qualifications, training and licences
• planning for the AFP Strategic Workforce Plan 2015–2020.

Program Saturn

In 2014–15 the AFP initiated Program Saturn to build a human resources service delivery model for the future. The aim is to create an inclusive, dynamic and adaptable AFP workforce to ensure that, for any task in the AFP, we have ‘the right person, with the right skills, in the right role, at the right time’.

As an element of Program Saturn, the AFP conducted an AFP staff survey in March 2015. This provided staff an opportunity to give feedback and allowed the AFP to measure opinion on organisational health, individual wellbeing and staff engagement. Key themes and outcomes from this survey will inform future strategies to enhance organisational outcomes through better people management frameworks.

As a result of continued low natural attrition and applied government savings, the AFP embarked on a targeted voluntary redundancy program in 2014–15. Voluntary redundancies were offered through balancing experience levels with the need to maintain workforce capability across business outcomes. A total of 240 voluntary redundancies were accepted by a cross-section of staff, both sworn and unsworn.

Industrial Relations

The terms and conditions of employment for non-senior executive AFP employees are set out in the AFP Enterprise Agreement 2012–2016 and the AFP Executive Level Enterprise Agreement 2011.

The AFP Enterprise Agreement 2012–2016 applies to all employees classified between Band 1 and Band 8, and the AFP Executive Level Enterprise Agreement 2011 provides the framework for executive-level employees. The AFP Executive Level Enterprise Agreement 2011 nominally expired on 18 January 2015. At 30 June 2015 bargaining was currently underway for a new agreement.

These employment instruments preserve terms and conditions that reflect the contemporary requirements of a dynamic law enforcement environment yet recognise the current fiscal position of the broader public sector.

Both instruments allow the AFP to deliver business outcomes that reflect the needs of the community while supporting robust corporate priorities and legislative requirements. This flexibility places the AFP in a strong position to build upon organisational success and realise further efficiencies in managing its workforce.

Workforce Diversity

The AFP recognises that it is essential for the AFP to increase the diversity of its workforce in order to remain relevant and responsive to the needs of the Australian community.

The AFP Diversity Program prioritises five diversity groups in our workforce: women; Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians; lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people; people with disability (including mental health difficulties); and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The AFP Diversity Program has continued to develop and implement goals, strategies and measures designed to include, recruit and retain members from these five priority diversity groups.

Diversity-related highlights over the past year include:

• implementing a variety of initiatives designed in collaboration with the AFP Malunggang Indigenous Officers Network. The initiatives help us to retain Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander members who joined through the AFP Directions Program, which is the AFP’s entry-level program for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians. The initiative has contributed to the 100 per cent retention rate from the 2013 cohort of trainees. Further Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians AFP staffing statistics are in Appendix C
• winning an award at the 2015 Australian Workplace Equality Index Awards. The AFP was ranked joint 17th (with Department of Defence) on LGBTI workplace inclusion and was the joint highest ranking public sector employer
• marking a variety of days of significance by holding AFP-wide inclusion events such as International Day of People with Disability, NAIDOC Week and National Reconciliation Week
• delivering diversity awareness training courses and conferences, including working in partnership with AFP counter terrorism teams to provide training on Islamic considerations in our work; two Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers Network courses; respectful workplace training; and diversity training through the AFP Malunggang Indigenous Officers Network, the Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers Network, the AFP Ability Advisory Network and the Women’s Network
• holding two meetings of the AFP Diversity Council. The council is chaired by the Chief Operating Officer and comprises diversity employee network champions (at the Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner level), network chairs and Human Resources management. Major outcomes from these meetings include increased support for diversity-related work being considered ‘business as usual’ in the wider AFP and the decision to include targets for numbers of sworn women and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander members of the AFP in the new AFP Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2015–2020 (currently being developed)
• the AFP Commissioner communicating a clear message to all AFP members that diversity and inclusion are vital elements of an effective policing organisation.

Consistent with the National Disability Strategy 2010–2020 (www.dss.gov.au), the AFP creates an inclusive and accessible workplace and provides personal and community support (through the AFP Ability Advisory group) for people with disability in the AFP and those who care for people with disability. The AFP will also contribute to realising the National Disability Strategy 2010–2020 through the AFP Strategic Workforce Plan.

Recruitment

During 2014–15 AFP Recruitment considered approximately 20,000 applications to join the AFP in police, protective service officer and unsworn roles.

Following assessment of applications, delivery of assessment centres and consideration of security, medical, fitness, professional standards and psychological suitability, sworn recruitment has comprised:

• 105 police recruits
• 73 Protective Service Officers
• 84 specialist sworn roles (recruited internally), which included:
  • 48 Close Personal Protection
  • 31 Specialist Response Group
  • five Canine capability.

Under Program Saturn, a review of recruitment methodologies and strategy for sworn and unsworn recruitment has commenced. The review aims to ensure that the AFP is well placed to develop the skills, capability and diversity mix required to meet operational requirements now and into the future.

Work Health Safety and Rehabilitation

AFP Recognition and Organisational Health has responsibility for work health safety and rehabilitation. The branch delivers an Organisational Health Program in conjunction with Medical Services and Wellbeing Services.

The Organisational Health Program takes a multi-disciplinary approach to supporting all AFP members. The AFP combines its professional expertise in this way to enable it to meet its duty of care under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth).

The program emphasises education, prevention and support in line with legislation, the AFP Strategic Plan, Risk Management Framework and AFP Strategic Workforce Plan 2013–2015.

The aim of the Organisational Health Program is to increase safety in the workplace. This is achieved by:

• preventing and reducing the number and severity of injuries and illnesses and the associated costs
• educating and promoting working health, wellbeing and capacity to work
• fostering innovation, quality and efficiency through continuous improvement.

During 2014–15 the Work Health Safety and Rehabilitation Team conducted an audit of its rehabilitation management systems pursuant to section 41 of the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (Cth). The audit showed a 96 per cent conformance rate. To assess compliance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and its supporting regulations, the AFP also conducted audits of its work health and safety management systems in overseas missions and operations, including Vanuatu, Tonga, Timor-Leste, Samoa, PNG, Norfolk Island, Nauru, Jervis Bay and Cyprus.

Work Health and Safety Legislative Reporting Requirements

During 2014–15 the AFP notified Comcare of 16 incidents under section 38 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth). The AFP did not receive any provisional improvement notices. There were no formal investigations by Comcare. No notices were issued pursuant to Part 10 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth). Early intervention injury management assistance was provided for 59 cases.

Professional Development

In 2014–15 AFP Learning and Development delivered more than 900 training activities in support of development of organisational capability. This activity also extended to significant international capacity and capability building, particularly in support of the International Deployment Group and International Network activities.

Investigations, Leadership and Specialist Training

During the year more than 260 members participated in the Human Source Handling Program or the Advanced Human Source Handling Program—an increase of 140 per cent from the previous year. This training is tiered to enable members to progressively build on skills and knowledge over the two programs, first equipping them with fundamental concepts of managing human sources and subsequently providing them with an opportunity to demonstrate the skills via practical scenarios.

In January 2015 the Investigations Leadership and Specialist Training Team facilitated an eight-day Interview Coordinator Program. The program supports the Investigations Doctrine philosophy by building on investigators’ expertise, which in turn further develops the AFP’s capabilities and will supplement the work of Senior Investigating Officers during major operations.

During 2014–15 a total of 36 members received their Detective designation following the completion of the Detective Training Program Stage Three.

In March 2015 the inaugural Border Force Investigations Course commenced at the AFP College. Twenty participants successfully completed the eight-week course and are now eligible to be awarded the Certificate IV in Government (Investigation). The course is a joint enterprise between the AFP, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and the Protective Security Training College. The course characterises the strong partnerships that exist across Commonwealth agencies.

The 56th Management of Serious Crime (MOSC) program was conducted in August 2014. An International MOSC program was held at the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation between October and November 2014, comprising participants from Australian and international law enforcement agencies. These programs focused on enhancing domestic and international capacity to collaboratively manage organised crime and national security threats.

In 2014–15 the Corporate Training Team provided training to sworn and unsworn AFP staff:

• 384 members were trained in Effective Internet Searching
• 162 members were trained in Cultural Awareness
• 187 members were trained in Searching for Legislation and Case Law
• 133 members were trained in using the Police Real-time On-line Management Information System (PROMIS) and 123 received Specialist PROMIS training (external police and internal specialist areas)
• 290 members completed first aid training.

The Intelligence Training Team provided domestic and international training to support the tradecraft skills of AFP intelligence members and national and international law enforcement agencies. A total of 10 international training activities were delivered in the United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, Thailand, the Philippines, Turkey, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, building intelligence capabilities for partner agencies.

Delivered by the Corporate Training Team, the AFP Induction Program was also upgraded with new content and a new delivery model. This is to ensure that both sworn and unsworn members continue to receive a contemporary and comprehensive introduction to the organisation. The updated Induction Program forms part of a broader suite of initiatives under the Program Saturn reforms, known as Project Titan (Training in Tandem with AFP Needs). The key focus of this project is the Professionalisation of Police Development Framework, which is designed to provide a structured development pathway from pre-recruitment to retirement.

Operational Safety and Protection

The Operational Safety and Protection Team was instrumental in maintaining the Commissioner’s Order on Operational Safety (CO3) and all of the training and skill maintenance that occurs pursuant to that order. The team also undertook research on ballistic vests and continued to take the lead on identifying the most suitable platform for the organisation.

The Specialist and Driver Training Team delivered driver training to all recruit training programs and also to four Specialist Operator Level One programs. The team delivered a close protection course and a Skills Maintenance Program to the Samoa–Australia Police Partnership. It also delivered a number of surveillance driver training programs at short notice in response to the elevation of the national security threat rating.

Since July 2014 the Operational Safety Training Team has delivered training in firearms, operational safety, Public Order Management and Immediate Action Rapid Deployment to over 170 recruits as well as annual assessments for all sworn officers.

The team also conducted a pilot Immediate Action Rapid Deployment program for ACT Policing uniformed officers. This training, including ‘Train the Trainer’, is now being implemented across ACT Policing.

Between February and June 2015 the Foundation and External Training Team delivered firearms training, the subsequent Official Firearms Qualifying Assessment and Defensive Tactics to six recruit courses, with ongoing external agency delivery on demand.

Throughout this period the team also conducted ongoing curriculum review and development on the Operational Safety Trainer manual and the Operational Safety Trainer Qualifying Program. The Operational Safety and Protection Team has been liaising closely with Australian Customs and Border Protection Service on the adoption of the AFP Use of Force package.

The Health and Fitness Team delivered physical training and remedial health and fitness programs to recruits and functional fitness training to in-service members. The team also continues to coordinate gateway recruitment Physical Competency Assessment locally and regionally in support of AFP Close Personal Protection operations.

Recruit and Regional Training

The Regional Training Teams support organisational capability development by delivering training as identified by Learning and Development Canberra, office managers and/or office operations committees.

In 2014–15 the teams trained over 170 Federal Police Development Program and Protective Service Officer recruits, who were subsequently deployed throughout Australia.

Business and Training Support

The Business and Training Support Team provides assistance in the design and delivery of Learning and Development training programs, as well as quality assuring its training and compliance to the National Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). Additionally, this team provides study and literacy support to trainees.

New Learning and Development trainers are required to undertake the Certificate IV Training and Assessment. In 2014–15 this was delivered through Learning and Development’s Trainer Development Program conducted at the AFP College, with certificates being awarded by Charles Sturt University as part of a collaborative agreement with the AFP College.

Located in Canberra, the AFP College is the flagship learning centre of the AFP and provides accommodation, catering, fitness, training and meeting facilities. In October 2014 the AFP College received an Offer of Delegation by the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority. This offer allows the AFP College to manage its own scope of registration and has been made only to a small number of RTOs that have demonstrated high levels of competence and compliance. The Delegation Agreement was signed by both parties in June 2015.

The Online Learning Team developed and released 10 new online training courses to support AFP members in carrying out their duties and obligations in both a corporate and operational capacity. This reflects the ongoing commitment of L&D to the government’s Australian Flexible Learning Framework, particularly in the area of e-learning.

The first half of 2015 saw the completion of the gymnasium courtyard redevelopment project. This project resolved drainage issues, installed new soft-fall flooring and installed a roof over the majority of the courtyard to provide an all-weather facility.

The firing range at Majura Complex in Canberra was also upgraded, with installation of a new wireless target training system to maintain functionality and reduce operating maintenance costs.

The AFP National Library continued to provide a range of information services to support business areas and individuals in their operational work and for AFP approved studies. There are currently over 3,000 subscribers to the products that the AFP National Library develops, which are specifically tailored to the core functions of the organisation.

Information and Communications Technology

The AFP’s ICT function provides the AFP with dependable, secure and integrated ICT infrastructure and services that are capable of supporting the agency’s operational and management needs.

Performance

In 2014–15 the ICT function rose to the challenges of supporting major and prolonged AFP operations as well as significant national events whilst continuing to stabilise and consolidate ICT delivery across the agency.

Major Operations

ICT provided local and international support for a number of major operations, including AFP Missions in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

The most extensive support was for Operation Arew in the wake of the MH17 aircraft downed in Ukraine. Communications and support were established onsite. Daily geospatial mapping updates proved invaluable in ensuring the safety of AFP personnel as they relocated to the crash site in an active conflict zone.

The ICT Support Centre moved to a 24/7 working pattern during the initial two weeks of the deployment to ensure rapid response to the needs of Operation Arew members. The available bandwidth was increased in order to support the large amount of forensic data that needed to be analysed in Canberra, and secure communications were established from The Hague to enable sensitive matters to be addressed in a timely manner.

The ICT function built the forward posts in Ukraine, the Embassy in The Hague, and Hilversum, Driebergen and other locations in the Netherlands supporting the investigation.

ACT Policing

The Mobile Phone Location (MoLI) Push solution was deployed in the ACT Policing Computer Aided Dispatch capability. The MoLI Push solution provides the precise location of the mobile phone from which an emergency call originates, enabling more rapid dispatch to the location.

AFP Operations Coordination Centre

The Computer Aided Dispatch capability was upgraded to improve dispatch activities and align the AFP Operations Coordination Centre and ACT Policing Intergraph Computer Aided Dispatch versions. While this was a necessary change to upgrade from a version that would no longer be supported by the vendor, it also provided significant improvements to enable much closer integration between the two versions of the system into the future.

International Deployment Group

A Public Cloud offering was used to enable members to access office productivity software, email, contact, calendars and file storage without being directly connected to the AFP network.

The facility was provided in Papua New Guinea as part of Operation Copperplate. It has been established as the architecture pattern that will give the International Deployment Group a consistent, cost-effective and scalable information technology solution across the Pacific.

Major Events Support

The ICT function provided support to AFP members who were deployed to the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the Asian Football Confederation Cup and the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup.

Mobility

All AFPNet XP laptops were upgraded to Windows 7. This upgrade, along with the introduction of MOBIS (Mobile Information System), has provided the AFP with an improved mobility solution for members required to use laptops at the office, at home or in the field.

ICT Support

An ICT Shopfront was established to provide an enhanced and more responsive level of support to Canberra-based staff. It has resulted in proven efficiencies across a number of core support requirements. The ICT Shopfront was initially implemented as a trial but has since been formalised and widely embraced.

Reporting

Visual analytics allows significant amounts of data to be explored in order to uncover relationships that were not previously known. The capability was evaluated and will provide future opportunities for leveraging forecasting abilities and preliminary analysis of ‘what if’ scenarios.

Other Achievements

ICT also undertook several major pieces of behind-the-scenes work throughout the year, including server virtualisation, Storage Area Network (SAN) rationalisation, and the System Centre Configuration Manager (SCCM) upgrade. This work consolidates and strengthens the AFP’s ICT infrastructure, storage and monitoring capabilities, positioning ICT to support the major programs of work that are underway (Data Centre Transition and Spectrum) and providing a solid platform to cater for future capacity and innovations.

8 Appendices

Appendix A: Corporate Integrity

During 2014–15 the AFP Professional Standards Unit received 477 complaints, resulting in 934 alleged conduct breaches being recorded. The complaint data in this appendix were extracted from the AFP Complaint Recording and Management System (CRAMS), which is a live system that is updated on a daily basis. The data set was correct as at 2 July 2015.

1. Conduct breaches are individual issues identified within a complaint. Multiple breaches may be applied when two or more complaint issues are identified from information supplied by a complainant or when two or more members are subject to a complaint.

Note: Part V of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (Cth) defines the categories of conduct for AFP appointees. Category 1 is the least serious category and relates mainly to customer service breaches. Category 2 is minor misconduct and category 3 is serious misconduct. Category 4 complaints relate to corruption as defined by the Law Enforcement Integrity Act 2006 (Cth). These matters are deemed to be either significant or non-significant corruption and are referred to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity.

1. Section 40TF of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (Cth) sets out the circumstances under which the Commissioner may decide to take no further action in relation to a conduct issue. These circumstances include when appropriate action has already been taken or further investigation is determined to be not warranted or the alleged issue took place more than 12 months before reporting.

Note: This table includes only matters reported before 1 July 2015, and finalised during 2014–15.

1. The term ‘certain incident’ relates to an incident where a person is killed or seriously injured in an incident involving a motor vehicle or while in police custody, or a person killed or seriously injured by a firearm discharging or physical force.

Run time defined from date recorded to finalisation.

Appendix B: Advertising and Market Research

Under section 311A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, the AFP is required to disclose payments of $12,566 or more (inclusive of GST) to specific types of organisations. These organisations are advertising agencies, market research organisations, polling organisations, media advertising organisations and direct mail organisations.

During 2014–15 the AFP conducted the National Missing Person’s Week campaign, International Missing Children’s Day campaign, recruitment advertising and an airport consumer confidence survey (market research). The total amount spent on advertising was $281,757 of which $183,485 was non-campaign advertising.

Details of payments to advertising and market research organisations are outlined in Table B1 below. Further information is available in the reports on Australian Government advertising which are prepared by the Department of Finance and Deregulation. Those reports are available at http://www.finance.gov.au/advertising/index.html.

Appendix C: Staffing Statistics

Note: Australian Institute of Police Management staff are included under Unsworn Staff.

Notes: Australian Institute of Police Management staff are included under Chief Operating Officer—Human Resources—Unsworn Staff.

The former Office of the Commissioner portfolio figures are captured in Chief of Staff as at 17 November 2014.

Notes: These performance bonuses were paid during the 2015–16 financial year and relate to performance during the 2014–15 financial year.

Seventy-eight Senior Executive Service staff were eligible for a performance bonus.

Note: Australian Institute of Police Management staff are included under Unsworn Staff.

Note: The Chief Operating Officer portfolio includes sworn recruits at the AFP College, the Graduate and Directions programs and Australian Institute of Police Management staff.

Note: This data has been captured using an optional self-reporting mechanism; therefore the numbers in this table may not accurately reflect the actual numbers of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander staff within the organisation.

Note: This data has been captured using an optional self-reporting mechanism; therefore the numbers in this table may not accurately reflect the actual numbers of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander staff within the organisation.

Appendix D: Entity Resource Statement and Resources for Outcomes

1. Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2014–15 and Appropriation Act (No. 3) 2014–15. This also includes prior-year departmental appropriations available and section 74 retained revenue receipts.

2. Includes an amount of $35.207m in 2014–15 for the departmental capital budget. For accounting purposes this amount has been designated as ‘contributions by owners’.

3. Appropriation Act (No. 1) 2014–15 and Appropriation Act (No. 3) 2014–15. This also includes prior-year administered appropriations.

4. Appropriation Act (No. 2) 2014–15 and Appropriation Act (No. 4) 2014–15. This also includes available equity appropriations from previous years.

5. Estimated opening balance for special accounts (less ‘special public money’ held in an account such as a Services for Other Entities and Trust Moneys Special Account).

6. Appropriation receipts from annual appropriations for 2014–15 included above.

1. Full-year budget, including any subsequent adjustment made to the 2014–15 Budget.

2. Departmental appropriation combines ‘Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act No. 1)’ and retained revenue receipts under section 74 of the PGPA Act (2013).

3. Expenses not requiring appropriation in the budget year are made up of depreciation and amortisation expenses and resources received free of charge.

1. Full-year budget, including any subsequent adjustment made to the 2014–15 Budget.

2. Departmental appropriation combines ‘Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Act No. 1)’ and retained revenue receipts under section 74 of the PGPA Act (2013).

3. Expenses not requiring appropriation in the budget year relate to resources received free of charge.

Appendix E: List of Requirements

Annex A: Assumed Identities Annual Report 2014–15

Part IAC of the Crimes Act 1914

Under section 15LD(1) of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth), the chief officer of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), as soon as practicable after the end of each financial year, must submit a report to the Minister that includes the following information:

1. the number of authorities granted during the year
2. a general description of the activities undertaken by authorised civilians and authorised law enforcement officers when using assumed identities under Part IAC during the year
3. the number of applications for authorities that were refused during the year
4. the number of authorities of which control was transferred by the chief officer under section 15KV during the year
5. the number of authorities of which control was transferred to the chief officer under section 15KV during the year
6. a statement whether or not any fraud or other unlawful activity was identified by an audit under section 15LG during the year
7. any other information relating to authorities and assumed identities and the administration of Part IAC that the Minister considers appropriate.

For the year ending 30 June 2015:

1. Authorising persons from the AFP issued 114 authorities for the acquisition and use of assumed identities. In addition, there were 32 variations and 134 revocations.
2. The activities undertaken by approved officers when using their assumed identities included functions performed covertly in the conduct of intelligence collection and investigations associated with the achievement of AFP core business outcomes.
3. No applications for authorities were refused.
4. There were no authorities of which control was transferred by the chief officer of the AFP under section 15KV.
5. There were no authorities of which control was transferred to the chief officer of the AFP under section 15KV.
6. Five audits were conducted on records and practices relating to assumed identities. No fraud or unlawful activity was identified.
7. There is no other information relating to authorities and assumed identities and the administration of Part IAC.

Annex B: National Witness Protection Program Annual Report 2014–15

Minister’s introduction

I am pleased to submit the 2014–15 annual report on the operation of the National Witness Protection Program under the provisions of the Witness Protection Act 1994 (Cth).

The report sets out the provisions of the legislation and relevant activity for the reporting period. The costs of the program are shown in the appendix to this report.

The task of providing witness protection is a highly sensitive area of law enforcement and I commend those involved with the administration and maintenance of the program.

This report has been prepared to provide as much detail as possible without prejudicing the effectiveness of the security of the National Witness Protection Program.

Michael Keenan
Minister for Justice
16 October 2015

Introduction

The Witness Protection Act 1994 (Cth) (the Act) provides the statutory basis for the National Witness Protection Program (NWPP) and commenced operation on 18 April 1995.

The Act enables protection and assistance to be provided to witnesses who are assessed as being in danger because they have given, or have agreed to give, evidence or a statement on behalf of the Crown in criminal or certain other proceedings or because of their relationship to these persons. This includes witnesses involved in operations run by the AFP, the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, the Australian Crime Commission and authorised state and territory bodies.

NWPP operational costs are shared between the AFP and the approved authority that refers the witness for protection and assistance.

Foreign law enforcement agencies and the International Criminal Court can request that foreign nationals or residents be included in the NWPP. The Minister for Justice must approve the inclusion of foreign nationals pursuant to sections 10 and 10A of the Act.

The AFP Commissioner administers the NWPP through the Witness Protection Committee and the Coordinator Witness Protection. The Witness Protection Committee comprises the AFP Deputy Commissioner National Security, to whom a number of responsibilities are delegated, and two senior AFP officers—the National Manager Protection and National Manager Serious and Organised Crime.

The Witness Protection Committee makes recommendations on the inclusion and exit of witnesses in and from the program and on the conditions of their inclusion and exit. The Coordinator Witness Protection is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the NWPP.

General Operations of the NWPP

The NWPP provides an environment in which participants are able to give evidence in criminal trials that involve a significant degree of criminality at both the Commonwealth and state levels without fear of retribution.

The majority of participants in the NWPP have been accepted into the program because of their involvement as witnesses in prosecutions relating to organised crime, large-scale importation of illegal drugs or corruption matters. One of the matters considered when deciding that a person be included in the NWPP is that there are no other viable methods of protecting the witness. Section 5 of the Act prohibits witnesses from being included in the NWPP as a reward or as a means of persuading or encouraging them to give evidence or make a statement.

Participants in the NWPP experience an initial period of restricted and arduous lifestyle because of the strict security directions employed by the NWPP that are required to provide protection. These lifestyle restrictions are generally relaxed in time, once participants are integrated and self-sustainable within a community. The issue of self-sustainability is a key factor in determining the length of time that participants remain on the program.

In the year ending 30 June 2015, the NWPP managed 31 witness protection operations, providing protection and assistance to 61 people.

Three assessments were completed and three assessments were commenced for inclusion into the NWPP, resulting in six people joining the NWPP and one person voluntarily declining to continue the assessment process. One operation was concluded, resulting in the departure of four participants from the NWPP.

The AFP’s role in law enforcement is at the national and international level, as well as the community policing level in the Australian Capital Territory. The Australian Capital Territory does not have a separate witness protection scheme. Any witnesses who fall under the Witness Protection Act 1996 (ACT) are assessed for inclusion in the NWPP.

The Commissioner made no disclosures under section 27 of the Act during the reporting period.

Integrity and Accountability of the NWPP

Safeguards in the Act help to ensure that the integrity and accountability of the NWPP are maintained. AFP employees deployed to witness protection either hold or occupy designated positions that have national security clearance of Negative Vetting Level 2.

NWPP employees are subject to AFP anti-corruption strategies, which include drug testing in accordance with section 40M of the AFP Act.

The NWPP is subject to the AFP Governance Instrument Framework, which includes auditing of financial and performance management processes and compliance with the Act.

The Coordinator Witness Protection presents applications for the placement of persons in the NWPP to the Witness Protection Committee. Officers who investigate the criminal matters that relate to the protection and assistance of the witness, as well as those NWPP employees who prepare submissions to the committee, are not involved in the decision-making process for that person’s inclusion in the NWPP. This separation of responsibilities helps to ensure that decisions are made independently of operational considerations.

Complaints and Reviews of Decisions

The protection of information relating to participants in the NWPP is of paramount concern. Therefore, decisions made under the Act are not subject to the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth).

AFP employees who administer the NWPP are subject to the same obligations as other members of the AFP. If a complaint is received, it will be dealt with in accordance with the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (Cth). Complaints against officers may also be the subject of investigation by the Commonwealth Ombudsman under the Ombudsman Act 1976 (Cth).

The Commonwealth Ombudsman finalised one investigation relating to the NWPP in 2014–15.

In 2014–15 the AFP Commissioner was not required to review any decisions made by a deputy commissioner to remove a person from the program involuntarily.

Performance and Effectiveness of the NWPP

Witness protection services under the Act are delivered by the AFP Protection function. One of AFP Protection’s key performance indicators is that there are fewer than four avoidable incidents per 5,000 protection hours. There were no avoidable incidents related to the NWPP during the reporting period. This includes recorded instances of direct physical attack on any participant in the NWPP in the reporting period.

In the past, certain entities that could compromise the security of participants in the NWPP have made attempts to locate and identify participants. However, no recorded instances occurred during the reporting period.

Section 28 of the Act protects participants’ identities during court proceedings. The court can hold parts of the proceedings in private or it can make suppression orders on the publication of the evidence. Suppression orders were required for one investigation during the reporting period.

AFP NWPP employees undergo skills maintenance training each year to maintain and enhance operational witness protection skills and performance.

Amendment to the Act and Related Matters

There were no legislative amendments to the Act during the reporting period.

Complementary Witness Protection Legislation

The purpose of section 24 of the Act is to protect the integrity of key Commonwealth documents that are needed in order for witnesses to establish new identities. All jurisdictions have enacted complementary legislation,¹ which has been declared ‘complementary witness protection law’ under section 3 of the Act. Signed section 24 arrangements are in place in all jurisdictions except Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

Financial Arrangements

The NWPP is administered and operated by the AFP. Basic administration costs and the base salaries of NWPP employees involved in witness protection activities are met from within the AFP budget.

By arrangement with the AFP, other agencies that have witnesses in the NWPP are responsible for costs, including those related to the security and subsistence needs of their witness and any operational expenses that the NWPP incurs. The AFP is responsible for costs of AFP-sponsored witnesses in the NWPP.

A table of costs for the NWPP for the previous 11 financial years is in the appendix to this report. The figures do not include the salaries and overhead costs of administering the NWPP. Figures provided are as at 30 June 2015.

1. New South Wales—Witness Protection Act 1995; Queensland—Witness Protection Act 2000; South Australia—Witness Protection Act 1996; Tasmania—Witness Protection Act 2000; Victoria—Witness Protection Act 1991; Western Australia—Witness Protection (Western Australia) Act 1996; Australian Capital Territory—Witness Protection Act 1996; and Northern Territory—Witness Protection (Northern Territory) Act 2002.

Appendix: Expenditure

Shortened Forms

Glossary