At the March/April 2022 Budget Estimates meeting, the AFP Commissioner’s opening statement outlined priority areas for the AFP which are being funded to help keep Australians safe.
There was a significant focus on transnational serious organised crime including Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, Mexican cartels, Italian organised crime, and other offshore threats.
The AFP will receive $142.2 million over four years to enhance its specialist operational, intelligence, collection and criminal asset confiscation capabilities in fighting transnational and serious organised crime.
Other key priority areas and initiatives were highlighted in the address.
Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3)
The AFP-led JPC3 has been launched to enable state and territory law enforcement, Commonwealth agencies and the private sector to coordinate Australian policing responses to high-volume cybercrime.
Terrorism
Increasing numbers of terrorists convicted over the past two decades are now eligible for release from prison. The AFP will continue to work with partners to deliver the High Risk Terrorist Offender framework, and a new National Convicted Terrorist Offender Register will be established.
Human trafficking
As borders start to re-open, it is predicted that human trafficking will increase. The AFP Commissioner said “We are particularly concerned the pandemic increased human trafficking and modern slavery risks for individuals in vulnerable circumstances, including financial hardship, family violence, and those who fell out of touch with their communities during school and workplace closures.”
Election issues
The AFP is working to ensure the safety and security of parliamentarians, and the integrity of the federal election. It will set up a major incident coordination centre with a specialised investigative taskforce to help ensure the security of high-office holders and parliamentarians during the 2022 Federal election.
Key takeaways
In a recent address, the AFP Commissioner highlighted that in addition to targeting transnational serious organised crime, the AFP will also be prioritising combatting cybercrime, terrorism, human trafficking, and election issues.
