The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (CDPP) is the peak agency in the Commonwealth criminal justice system.
Its purpose is to contribute to a fair, safe and just society by delivering an effective, independent prosecution service in accordance with the Prosecution Policy of the Commonwealth.
In its 2024-28 Corporate Plan, the CDPP provides insight into the two key activities through which it achieves its purpose, its operating environment, and partners, amongst other information.
Key activities
The CDPP outlines it’s two key activities as prosecuting with integrity and working in partnership.
Key Activity 1 – prosecute with integrity
“As officers of the court we act ethically in everything we do. As Ministers of Justice we prepare and prosecute our cases firmly and fairly, in accordance with the Prosecution Policy of the Commonwealth.”
Performance measures associated with this activity are:
- Performance measure 1.1 – Delivering an effective, independent prosecution service for the Commonwealth.
- Performance measure 1.2 – Prosecutions resulting in a finding of guilt
Key Activity 2 – work in partnership
“We support our partner agencies to meet their investigative, enforcement and compliance objectives, which in turn supports our capacity to deliver high quality prosecution services.”
The performance measure to support this activity is:
- Performance measure 2.1 – Partner agency satisfaction with CDPP service delivery
Operating environment
The CDPP works in a dynamic and complex operating environment in which its workload is driven by the operational activities of its partner agencies. The CDPP prosecutes matters that cover a wide range of criminal conduct, including offending that involves sexual exploitation, complex financial, corporate and commercial arrangements, and matters affecting national security. The offending often occurs across state and international borders.
The nature of the CDPP’s casework can involve trials which run for weeks or months rather than days. The complexity of those trials is also impacted by the increasing volume of digital evidence gathered during modern criminal investigations. The complex nature of the offending, which is both facilitated and complicated by modern technology, also has an impact.
Partners
Strong and effective partnerships are critical to the CDPP prosecuting a significant number of crime types, in every Australian jurisdiction. The CDPP works with its partner agencies, but also other participants and stakeholders in the criminal justice system. Around 75 percent of the matters referred to the CDPP come from the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Services Australia (Centrelink) and state and territory police. The remaining matters are referred by more than 50 Commonwealth agencies.
Key takeaways
The CDPP plays a critical role in the Commonwealth criminal justice system by upholding justice through independent and ethical prosecutions. Guided by its Corporate Plan 2024-28, the CDPP focuses on prosecuting with integrity and fostering strong partnerships with key agencies. Its complex operating environment, driven by technological advancements and the nature of cross-border criminal activities, underscores the importance of its collaborative approach. By delivering high-quality prosecution services and maintaining strong relationships with its partners, the CDPP continues to ensure fairness and justice across Australia.
