Chapter 2Key issues

2.1The annual report highlighted a range of initiatives undertaken by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in 2023–24 and was largely positive about the performance across the reporting period. The AFP Commissioner, Mr Reece Kershaw APM, told the committee at the public hearing:

This past financial year we achieved important results, including protecting our community from transnational serious and organised crime under Operation Avarus-Nightwolf and Operation Gain; countering child sexual exploitation and human exploitation under Operation Tenterfield and Operation Dolunay; disrupting high-volume cybercrime under Operation Aquila; and responding to fraud and corruption against the Commonwealth under Operation Elbrus. These results align with the refreshed ministerial direction issued by the Attorney-General and my statement of intent in response. Our significant operational successes include the seizure of 31.3 tonnes of illicit drugs and precursors; over $175.5 million in assets restrained; 318 people charged with offences; and responding to over 22,460 incidents at international airports.[1]

2.2This chapter examines the following key issues related to the AFP’s performance in 2023–24:

key activities and workforce issues; and

the AFP’s performance framework and results.

2.3The chapter concludes by providing the committee’s view.

Key activities

2.4The committee noted the following key operations during the reporting period.

Operation Tenterfield

2.5Operation Tenterfield was launched in August 2022 ‘in response to the discovery of child abuse material on the dark web which was suspected to have been recorded in a childcare setting’. A joint agency taskforce was coordinated at the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) to review the seized images and videos. This work helped to identify ‘92 child victims of an alleged offender who had worked in childcare in Queensland, NSW and overseas’. This complex investigation resulted in 1,623 child sexual abuse charges in Brisbane, Sydney and overseas.[2] On 29 November 2024, a former childcare worker who abused nearly 70 children in Queensland and Italy between 2003 and 2022 was sentenced by the Brisbane District Court to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 27 years. The AFP advised that it is ‘highly confident that it has identified all the children in the seized material created by the man’.[3]

Operation Avarus-Nightwolf

2.6Launched in 2022, Operation Avarus-Nightwolf investigated a complex multi-billion-dollar money laundering operation. The investigation ‘targeted the alleged principals of a major money laundering organisation that serviced criminal clients through its control of a large money exchange business operating throughout Australia’. The investigation drew on capabilities from the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the United States Homeland Security Investigations Agency. Additional support was provided by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).[4] In October 2023, seven members of an alleged Chinese organised crime syndicate were charged. It is alleged that the Changjiang Currency Exchange laundered almost $229 million in proceeds of crime in the previous three years.[5]

Operation Elbrus

2.7The AFP and the ATO disrupted a group ‘who used payroll service companies to divert pay-as-you-go withholding tax and goods and services tax owed to the ATO by second-tier companies’. It included uncovering a $25 million blackmail demand made against members of the syndicate. After an 8-month investigation and the execution of 34 search warrants, the AFP charged 17people ‘with offences in relation to conspiracy to defraud the ATO, money laundering offences, and charges relating to the blackmail’. The restrained assets as a result of this operation are ‘estimated at $55 million’ including $3 million in cash, including $1.5 million located in a safety deposit box, 16 residential properties, 26 motor vehicles, 9 motorbikes, 2 aircraft, and share trading accounts’.[6]

Operation Gain

2.8The AFP identified that ‘a group of suspected high-level Australian transnational serious and organised criminals were using Türkiye (Turkey) as a base to target Australia with muti-tonne shipments of methamphetamine and cocaine’. Through the AFP’s International Command, the AFP increased its engagement with Turkish authorities, sharing information and intelligence. In November 2023, Turkish authorities, assisted by the AFP, ‘arrested 42 people, 18 of whom were of high value to Australian law enforcement. Assets of more than $250 million were also restrained by Türkiye’.[7]

International engagement

2.9As shown by Operation Gain, the AFP works with international partners to prevent, disrupt and respond to crime. At the public hearing in Canberra on 6February, AFP officials highlighted the importance of the international engagement work being undertaken, particularly in the Pacific region. Ms Lesa Gale, Deputy Commissioner, International and Specialist Capabilities discussed a range of initiatives, including:

investment of over $400 million over the next five years for the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI);[8]

launch of the Pinkenba Pacific Policing Development and Coordination Hub in Brisbane to support Pillar 3 of the PPI;[9]

working with international partners through the Interpol Project Blue Pacific Program;[10]

undertaking training with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) on less-than-lethal-force training;[11] and

working with the Department of Defence and the Australian Border Force to provide dedicated maritime support across the Pacific.[12]

2.10Of the broad scope of international work being undertaken by the AFP, Commissioner Kershaw explained the importance of this work in the region in relation to protecting Australia’s domestic security:

It's also important for the rule of law to exist within our region and to make sure all of our democracies are sharing intelligence and information around some of the threats we face. Transnational organised crime in the Pacific is a high-level threat, as is foreign interference and espionage. We've been able to train a number of officers in looking for that identification of organised crime and then acting on that.

…

we have a saying: 'For the Pacific, by the Pacific.' And everything that the deputy's command has been doing is through consultation but also designing it for the needs of the Pacific and making sure that we're building police forces that have the rule of law and our democratic values at the forefront of everything that we do.[13]

2.11The AFP maintains a strong international presence and in 2023-24 were located in 34 countries.[14] The results under Program 3.2 ‘highlight the variety of work we undertake with our international partners in the pacific region. These partnerships are valuable, supporting the capabilities of law enforcement organisations in 20 countries, enhancing Australia’s international standing and reducing criminal harms experienced by Australians’.[15]

Operation Nautilus

2.12Operation Nautilus was included in the annual report as a case study for Program 3.2. In 2023, the AFP and the Fiji Police Force (FPF) commenced a joint investigation ‘into a transpacific drug trafficking network’. In January 2024, the FPF ’executed search warrants and seized a total of 427t of methamphetamine, with an estimated Australian street value of between $640 million and $1.281 million’. The operation led to 14 arrests. The results produced by Operation Nautilus:

highlight the value not only of conducting operations and sharing intelligence in partnership but also of building capability with our international partners to achieve public safety outcomes across multiple nations. In particular, the seizure of significant quantities of highly harmful methamphetamines (Response) intended for domestic consumption has avoided an estimated $977 million harm in Australia (Prevention). Further, the arrest of key personnel in a criminal syndicate has impacted the functioning of a key TSOC network in the region (Disruption).[16]

Jurisdictional engagement

2.13In addition to its international engagement, the annual report states that the AFP has ‘enhanced’ its relationship with its state and territory law enforcement partners in 2023–24.[17] This was illustrated by the case studies below.

Operation Bishop

2.14In July 2023, the AFP was involved in ‘safety and security’ arrangements for the Prime Minister and 30 foreign dignitaries who attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Special Summit at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The AFP worked with Victoria Police to provide these arrangements and was ‘responsible for investigating Commonwealth criminal and threat matters arising from the summit’. Cooperation initiatives included deploying ‘6 world-leading AFP explosive detection dogs and their handlers … supported by the canine team from Victoria Police’ which ‘searched prominent areas for explosives and other hazards’.[18]

Operation Larimar

2.15After the Hamas attack against Israel on 7 October 2023, the AFP initiated the coordination of its response to the ‘domestic and international implications of the Hamas−Israel conflict’. As part of this, the AFP ‘worked closely’ with its domestic law enforcement partners to monitor, prevent and respond to any threats. It also ‘collected information and assessed international developments and translated them into domestic assessments’ to inform planning and has collaborated with the states and territories to monitor and assess ‘increased protest activity across Australia from both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel groups’.[19]

2.16In evidence to the committee, the Deputy Commissioner for National Security, Ms Krissy Barrett, said that Operation Larimar had been ‘subsumed by events’ and Special Operation Avalite is the ‘primary operation [for] antisemitic incidents’.[20]

Workforce

2.17As at 30 June 2024, the AFP had 8082 staff comprising:

3523 police officers;

817 protective service officers; and

3742 unsworn staff.[21]

2.18Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Chief Operating Officer, AFP, added:

As at the end of December—31 December—our head count was 8,097, with a workforce of 7,585 FTE. In terms of our recruitment, we continue to have a significant amount of recruitment.[22]

2.19Mr Paul Wood, Chief Financial Officer, also elaborated:

…whilst we're talking numbers, the recently tabled portfolio additional statements also includes additional funding to continue to grow our workforce. In the most recent tabled document, our average staffing level has now increased to 7,971. I know, when we're talking numbers, it gets a little bit confusing with headcount and FTE and ASL, but I want to advise the committee that we continue to gratefully receive funding from government to continue to grow our workforce.[23]

Recruitment

2.20In 2023–24, frontline policing remained a key recruitment focus, with a total of 330 graduates completing training across 14 recruit programs. Of these, 273graduated as police officers and 57 as protective service officers.[24]

2.21The AFP also undertook a range of initiatives to enhance recruitment activities including introducing talent acquisition partners and services, upskilling hiring managers, improving the First Nations entry level program and creating and implementing new face-to-face assessment centres across Australia to support recruitment streams.[25]

2.22Mr Kershaw informed the committee that:

We will continue to invest in the recruitment of new members to ensure we have a modern, diverse workforce with the specialist capabilities and operational readiness required to meet new and emerging challenges.[26]

Attrition rate

2.23In 2023–24, the natural attrition rate increased to 6.6 per cent, compared with 6.3 per cent in 2022–23.[27]

2.24In relation to attrition, Ms Van Gurp emphasised:

One thing we continue to watch, which has been of interest to this committee and also in Senate estimates, is our attrition rate. That still holds steady, in terms of police attrition. We sit at 5.1 per cent, which has been consistent for the last few years, but it's obviously something we continue to monitor, noting the competitiveness of the environment that we're recruiting from.[28]

Gender composition

2.25The overall proportion of female staff slightly increased to 41.2 per cent of the workforce, compared with 40.8 per cent in 2022–23.[29]

2.26The proportion of women in Senior Executive Service (SES) roles increased in 2023–24 with women comprising 41.1 per cent compared to 40.4 per cent in 2022–23.[30] However, this figure still represents a reduction from 42.7 per cent of women in SES roles in 2021–22.[31]

2.27Of the ongoing work towards gender equality across the AFP, Commissioner Kershaw highlighted:

Our commitment to supporting enterprise-wide uplift of diversity inclusion to enhance our operational readiness and build a psychologically and culturally safe workplace saw the launch of the AFP Gender Equity Action Plan 2024-26. We also made significant progress with the implementation of Respect@Work initiatives. I'm also proud to say that, for the first time in the AFP's history, we have two serving female deputy commissioners, representing 50 per cent of our sworn deputy commissioners.[32]

2.28On 7 May 2021, the then Home Affairs Minister the Hon Karen Andrews MP and the AFP Commissioner announced a new sworn-female workforce target of 30 per cent by 2028.[33] In evidence to the committee, Ms Van Gurp provided progress on this target:

We are committed to being an employer of choice and focusing on embedding diversity and inclusion across all aspects of our organisation. In terms of our targets, a few years ago the commissioner set us an aspirational target of 30 per cent women in our sworn roles. As at the end of December, we're sitting at 26.6 per cent for police. It's much higher for unsworn; we're sitting at 60.8 per cent. But there are areas where we still do struggle. For instance, we're currently sitting at 13.4 per cent females for protective security officers. Some of the work we're doing in our media and communications area is looking at how we can be more innovative and targeted in our recruitment marketing to target those different diversity cohorts. How do we get people to think about a career in policing that might not otherwise think about that? Some of the new things we've been trialling the past few months are targeting different women's gyms and sporting clubs to try and ramp up that focus and basically bringing them into the pipeline so that we can ensure that we continue toward our targets of 30 per cent.[34]

Staff survey

2.29Some key results from the 2021-2023 staff surveys are detailed below:

Sources: AFP 2021 Staff Survey (accessed through the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, 2022-23 Budget estimates October and November, Number 185); AFP 2022 Staff Survey; AFP 2023 In Focus Staff Survey.

2.30Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Chief Operating Officer, AFP advised the committee that the AFP has changed the model in which staff surveys are conducted:

We had moved a couple of years ago to a model where we do a full census-like survey every second year. The last all-staff survey that we ran [in 2023] was a deep dive on a specific area that came out of the previous full staff survey [in 2022], and that was around psychological safety specifically.[35]

2.31At estimates hearings, Ms Van Gurp clarified that in 2023, the AFP ‘didn’t do the full survey’ but they intended to ‘return to that in 2024’.[36] The survey undertaken in 2023 was focused on the health and wellbeing of the workforce conducting ‘a deep dive that year around psychological safety to better understand some of the feedback that our staff had given us in the 2022 survey’.[37] The 2023 survey also assisted with the ‘current redraft of our AFP health and wellbeing strategy, which is due for renewal…’.[38]

2.32Ms Van Gurp confirmed that questions about senior leadership were not asked in 2023 as the ‘survey was constructed using the key metrics that Comcare has identified in terms of what does impact psychosocial hazards in the workplace for our employees’.[39]

2.33While an intention was expressed in March 2024 to return to a full survey in 2024, this did not occur. At estimates hearings, Ms Van Gurp explained that in 2024:

The plan, when I answered that question at Senate estimates earlier last year [2024], was that we would run the survey late last year. As you'd be aware from our previous appearances, last year we were undertaking a protracted industrial relations enterprise bargaining process. We made a decision as an agency that it would be too much of a burden and too insensitive, really, to ask our staff questions around their perceptions of the workplace when they were undergoing these protracted discussions and negotiations, so the decision was made to run it this year.[40]

2.34When asked whether that meant there was no staff survey conducted in 2024 looking at broad cultural issues and leadership as occurred in 2022, Ms Van Gurp responded that there were ‘multiple surveys, including a survey that we undertook of our entire workforce post our first EA vote to understand their sentiments at the time and why they voted the way they did at the time’. However, she confirmed that a full staff census survey was not undertaken in 2024.[41]

2.35Ms Van Gurp informed the committee that the AFP would open the next full staff survey on 10 February 2025 and it would close on 2 March 2025.[42] For the 2025 survey, the AFP is ‘using an independent agency to conduct that survey, ORIMA, and the usual process is they'll report the results back to the executive, and they'll be shared with the workforce and made public after that’.[43]

Staff wellbeing

2.36The SHIELD program commenced in 2020-21 and supports all past and present employees, reservists and their families. It provides confidential, personalised care for all members, focusing on education and prevention, including regular health checks. Each Regional Command has a team of clinicians and health professionals who understand the nature of police work.[44]

2.37Ms Van Gurp explained the importance of the SHIELD program:

Our SHIELD program really is focused on that whole career life span of our members, noting that, unfortunately, it's an unavoidable reality that they will be exposed to a range of physical and psychological stresses throughout their career. We did, just this week, at our strategy and performance board, endorse a new AFP health and wellbeing strategy beyond 2024. That's following significant workforce consultation and it will soon launch formally across the agency, so we're really pleased with that.

We do continue to get positive feedback, as the commissioner raised, from our staff members through our staff surveys, around our efforts in the health and wellbeing space, but it's certainly something that we're continuing to improve and continuing to focus on as important for our flexible and agile workforce.[45]

2.38Mr Paul Wood highlighted that since the introduction of SHIELD in 2021 there has been a 23 per cent increase in the uptake of early-access services and in 2023–24 there were 355 members who were provided early access.[46] However, during Senate estimates proceedings, when asked how many members and former members have accessed SHIELD services in the last 12 months, the response provided was:

Due to the number of touch points AFP members have with SHIELD, and the anonymous nature of EAP reporting, an accurate number of current and former AFP members that have accessed SHIELD is not able to be provided.[47]

2.39When asked again at recent Senate Additional Estimates hearings of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee about the provision of numbers accessing the SHIELD program, no further explanation was provided, and the question was again taken on notice.[48]

2.40The 2023 Staff Survey, with a focus on wellbeing, did not contain a specific question on the SHIELD program.[49]

AFP performance framework

2.41During 2023–24, the AFP measured its performance through three outcomes:

Outcome 1: National and International Policing;

Outcome 2: ACT Policing; and

Outcome 3: Specialist Protective Services and International Policing Missions.[50]

2.42Each of the outcomes is supported by programs as specified below:

Program 1.1 – Federal Policing – Investigations;

Program 2.1 – ACT Community Policing;

Program 3.1 – Specialist Protective Services; and

Program 3.2 – International Police Assistance and External Territories.[51]

2.43Outcome 2 is covered in a separate annual report by ACT Policing.

Performance targets and results

2.44The following figure, reproduced from the annual report, summarises the performance measures, targets and results.

Source: AFP, Annual Report 2023-24, pp. 12-13.

2.45In relation to the performance results above, the committee focused on the outcomes in more detail where the targets were not met.

Measure 3.1.1 – Response times to aviation incidents within priority incidents

2.46In the 2023–24 Annual Report, the only performance measure that was not met was measure 3.1.1, which relates to response to aviation incidents within priority timeframe results.

2.47The performance measure is broken into four categories of priority targets. In 2023–24, two of the targets were met while two of the targets were not met, resulting in the overall target not being met. The figure below, reproduced from page 42 of the Annual Report, demonstrates the trends for this performance measure from 2021–22 to 2023–24:

Source: AFP Annual Report 2023-24, p. 42.

2.48In relation to the performance against measure 3.1.1, the AFP annual report provided an explanation of the results:

These response time results come in the context of increased activity at airports in the past 2 years. During 2023–24, airport passenger numbers returned almost to pre-COVID-19 levels. Passenger numbers at airports with an AFP presence peaked at 143 million in 2019, dropped to 36 million in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and increased again to 129 million in 2023. The increased activity at these airports in the past 2 years has led to a significant spike in the number of incidents – the 765 Priority 1 incidents in 2023–24 reflect a 48% increase compared with the average for the previous 5 financial years.

The majority (64%) of all Priority 1 incidents turned out to be matters that did not constitute a threat to life. There are numerous types of Priority 2 incidents, including border alerts (14%), prohibited items found at security screening areas (11%) and minor disturbances (7%).[52]

2.49On notice, the AFP provided further context for the results:

The shortfall in Specialist Protective Services performance measure 3.1 response to aviation incidents is contextualised by:

responding officers prioritising public safety when arriving at priorities matters, resulting in a delay in notifying their arrival at the incident,

the continued growth in passenger numbers, increasingly geographically sprawling airports,

incidents occurring on airborne aircraft causing insurmountable practicalities in Police response prior to that aircrafts arrival.[53]

2.50The AFP added:

Ensuring sufficient resourcing due to the variable and complex Aviation environment whilst managing the increased pressures on the AFP to respond to a wide variety of priority crime types is an ongoing pressure. While according to the 2023–24 Community Confidence Survey, 94% of visitors to AFP-patrolled airports reported feeling safe or very safe, the AFP has nevertheless significantly increased the frequency, fidelity and detail of internal performance monitoring of aviation response data to ensure overall performance is proactively managed.[54]

Measure 1.1.7 – Disruption count

2.51Within the annual report, there was one performance measure that did not have sufficient data available to measure whether the target was achieved in 2023–24. Performance Measure 1.1.7 relates to disruption count. The target for this measure is 206 but whether the target was achieved was listed as ‘not available’.[55]

2.52As the annual report explained:

Disruption is a specific type of policing activity involving delaying, diverting or otherwise complicating a criminal activity or the operations of a criminal entity. Disruption activities involve building relationships with partners. They aim to affect complex transnational crime where prosecution in Australia may not be realistic or cost-effective − for example, disrupting crimes occurring within Australia that are committed by offenders located offshore.[56]

2.53The annual report advised that the AFP is undergoing a phased implementation of a new case management system (IMS) which ‘affected the availability of data for this measure as defined’.[57]

2.54The annual report further explained that:

The AFP is currently evaluating the additional functionality that IMS affords and the best way to report on disruptions.

A follow-on disruption measure is currently under development. The new measure will leverage future IMS capabilities and capture the relative impact of disruptions.[58]

2.55On notice the AFP provided further detail:

The AFP is currently in the process transitioning to a new case management system, and this transition has provided an opportunity to examine how disruptions are recorded and reported, in preparation for incorporating these requirements into the construction of the new system. The complexity of building a new case management system has meant that a wide variety of other features must be constructed before disruptions counts can be implemented. The decision to not report disruption count in the 2023-24 Annual Report aligns with best practices recommended by the Australian National Audit Office and the Department of Finance, which advise against reporting measures with data quality concerns.

Disruptions counts will be returned to the AFP suite of performance measures as soon as robust data can be produced, in line with good practices. It is possible a new disruption counts performance measure may not be comparable with the previous measure. While a disruption count is not currently available, the AFP will continue to provide compelling evidence of the value of our disruption activities through case studies included in the Annual Report.[59]

Measure 1.1.1 – Community confidence measure

2.56In its inquiry into the AFP Annual Report for 2022–23, the committee noted that the AFP did not meet its performance target for ‘high community confidence’ and that the AFP would report on an updated measure in 2023–24.[60]

2.57The AFP 2022-23 annual report contained the following explanation of the need to revise the measure:

We are committed to making continuous improvements to our performance framework. In a review in late 2022, the agency identified that the majority of survey respondents self-assess as having a relatively low understanding of the AFP and our role as the national policing agency. This shows that the community confidence performance measure needs to be refined to capture a more precise picture of the community’s confidence in the AFP.[61]

2.58The 2022-23 annual report provides further detail on the proposed changes:

As outlined in the AFP’s Portfolio Budget Statement 2023–24 and AFP Corporate Plan 2023–24, the AFP will report on a restructured community confidence measure in the AFP Annual Report 2023–24. Community confidence will be defined as the proportion of respondents assessing their overall confidence in the AFP at 6 or higher, with increased targets set for both the general Australian public (85%) and the ‘Informed public’ (90%), which is defined as those who self-assess their understanding of the AFP at 7 or higher out of 10.[62]

2.59The 2023-24 annual report outlines that the survey methodology was updated to ‘reflect changing community preference and to more effectively track community perceptions of the AFP’.[63]

2.60The AFP set targets for the general Australian public (85 per cent) and the informed public (90 per cent) with informed public defined as ‘those who self-assess their understanding of the AFP at 7 or higher out of 10’. The survey data showed that:

Australians who self-identify as having a higher level of knowledge of the AFP also report having higher confidence in the AFP. Of the 2,002 people surveyed, 89% expressed confidence in the AFP (6 to 10 out of 10); and 94% of the 753 people who identified themselves as the ‘informed public’ expressed confidence in the AFP.[64]

2.61On notice the AFP provided further detail:

In the performance measure used up to 2022-23, the AFP measured ‘high confidence in the AFP’ as eight (8) or higher out of 10. This was inconsistent with similar measures used by State and Territory Police in the National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing (reported in the Report on Government Services), which uses the sum of ‘agree plus strongly agree’ to produce confidence and satisfaction statistics. Changing to a similar measures scale for this question in the AFP’s Community Confidence Survey (CCS) would have meant gaining greater comparability with State and Territory Police, while losing comparability with the AFP historical. As such, the closest approximation of ‘agree plus strongly agree’ was to adopt a definition of confidence as ‘(six) 6 or higher out of 10’.

To reinforce the AFP’s ambition to retain the confidence of the public the target was simultaneously increased from 75% to 85%. Also, the CCS data shows that Australians who self-identify as having a higher level of knowledge of the AFP also report having higher confidence in the AFP. The target for this aspect of community confidence was set at 90%. This approach was reviewed and endorsed by the AFP’s external Audit and Risk Committee prior to adoption.

Measure results relating to confidence and understanding of the AFP are readily available and can be accessed each year commencing with the AFP’s 2017-18 Annual Report. Historical results and trends are shown in Figure 2.4 on page 15 of the 2023-24 AFP Annual Report, showing with confidence of above 90% (for the informed public) and above 85% overall for all years since 2017-18.[65]

Committee view

2.62The committee commends the work of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) over the reporting period, particularly key operations such as Operation Tenterfield. Over this and the last parliament, the committee conducted an inquiry into the ability of law enforcement to respond to child exploitation.[66] Through site visits and evidence to the inquiry, the committee saw firsthand the determination of officers who work in this confronting area to identify children even when images contain few distinguishing clues for the investigators.

2.63The committee appreciates the use of case studies by the AFP in its annual reports in relation to operations as this illustrates the complexity of operations, including the time involved and the international and/or domestic cooperation required for most of its work.

2.64The committee commends the AFP for its international engagement, recognising it is estimated that more than 70 per cent of the transnational serious organised criminals who target Australia are offshore.[67] In particular, the committee notes the results achieved in Operation Gain.

2.65The committee appreciates the update in the hearing focused on AFP work in the Pacific region. The committee recognises the increasing threat of transnational crime in the Pacific, the importance of collaboration in the region as well as the range of initiatives which the AFP is involved in to address this threat. This work will build capabilities and resilience in the Pacific as well as enhanced coverage to target and disrupt transnational and serious organised crime.

2.66The committee also supports the AFP’s work in building stronger partnerships with state and territory law enforcement agencies as well as other Commonwealth agencies as the case studies show that most operations involve other jurisdictions and can also require specialist input from other Commonwealth agencies.

2.67In terms of recruitment, the committee acknowledges the ongoing work towards the sworn-female workforce target of 30 per cent by 2028 and that 41.1 per cent of Senior Executive roles are held by women.

2.68The committee commends the AFP’s focus on staff wellbeing, particularly the SHIELD program. While some measures of early access were provided to the committee, the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee was told that an accurate number of current and former AFP members who have accessed SHIELD is not able to be provided. Despite being advised that the AFP continues to receive positive feedback on SHIELD, the committee notes there have been no specific questions in relation to SHIELD in the publicly available staff surveys. It is therefore unclear to the committee what direct measurement and evaluation methodology is in place for SHIELD and the committee will follow up this aspect in the next reporting period.

2.69The committee notes that the 2023 staff survey focused on wellbeing and was not a full staff survey. While recognising differences in the workforces,[68] the committee notes the AFP response rate of 54 per cent in 2023 and 68 per cent in 2022 compared to the APS Employee Census 2024, which was 81 per cent and 80 per cent in 2023. Given the decrease in participation, the committee encourages the AFP to investigate ways to increase participation. The committee has reservations about the approach to surveys where some factors such as senior leadership and leadership more generally now appear to be included in the staff survey only every second year. This is particularly concerning as the survey did not occur in 2024 as planned. The committee questions whether this approach will result in a timely response to emerging issues in these areas or allow comparisons over years and will monitor this issue in the next reporting period.

2.70In terms of performance measures, the committee appreciates the detailed explanations provided where targets were not met or not available. In its last report the committee noted the AFP would report on an updated measure for community confidence. The committee notes the changes and the explanation and will monitor the results over the next reporting period to ensure the changes in methodology still provide a challenge to the AFP to meet the targets.

2.71The committee thanks all members of the AFP for their work over the reporting period and thanks the senior officials for their engagement with the committee.

Senator Helen Polley

Chair

Footnotes

[1]Mr Reece Kershaw, Commissioner, Australian Federal Police, Committee Hansard, 6 February 2025, p. 2. Ministerial Direction to the AFP, issued by the Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP, 20 October 2023; AFP Commissioner’s Statement of Intent, Reece P Kershaw APM, 20 October 2023.

[2]AFP, Annual Report 2023-24, p. 29.

[3]‘Gold Coast man sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and sexual assaults at childcare centres’, AFP, Media Release, 29 November 2024.

[4]AFP, Annual Report 2023-24, p. 25.

[5]‘Seven syndicate members charged for allegedly laundering almost $229 million’, AFP Media Release, 26 October 2023.

[6]AFP, Annual Report 2023-24, p. 27.

[7]AFP, Annual Report 2023-24, p. 21. See also ‘Sydney man arrested following deportation from Turkiye’ AFP Media Release, 4 December 2023.

[8]The Pacific Policing Initiative is a major regional initiative to strengthen collective peace and security throughout the Pacific. It has three pillars: regional police training Centres of Excellence, located in the Pacific; the Pacific Police Support Group, a multi country police capability to deploy in response to Pacific country requirements; and a Pacific Policing Development and Coordination Hub to be hosted in Brisbane to provide access to training facilities and prepare for any Pacific Police Support Group deployments. See The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia, ‘Pacific leaders endorse Pacific Policing Initiative’, Media release, 28 August 2024.

[9]See also, Australian Federal Police, ‘AFP and Pacific police launch regional hub and global training centre in Brisbane’, Media Release, 10 December 2024.

[10]Project Blue Pacific will support the participating national police organisations to use INTERPOL resources for increased information sharing. See https://www.interpol.int/en/How-we-work/Capacity-building/Capacity-building-projects/Project-Blue-Pacific accessed 25 February 2025.

[11]For example, see ‘AFP and QPS helping develop future PNG police leaders’, AFP Media Release, 27May 2024; ‘PNG cadets conclude inaugural police training program in Sydney’, AFP Media Release, 17 August 2024.

[12]Ms Lesa Gale, Deputy Commissioner, International and Specialist Capabilities, Australian Federal Police, Committee Hansard, 6 February 2025, p. 3. See also ‘AFP combating transnational crime with pacific partners’, AFP, Media Release, 29 November 2024; ‘AFP joins Pacific police leaders to build safer communities’, AFP, Media Release, 10 September 2024; ‘AFP supports safety and security of Pacific region in 2023’, AFP, Media Release, 20 December 2023; ‘AFP supports Samoa Police to deliver a safe and secure CHOGM’, AFP, Media Release, 5 November 2024.

[13]Mr Reece Kershaw, Commissioner, AFP, Committee Hansard, 6 February 2025, p. 4.

[14]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 2.

[15]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, pp. 12-13, 48-53.

[16]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 52.

[17]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 3.

[18]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 47.

[19]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 31.

[20]Ms Krissy Barrett, Committee Hansard, 6 February 2025, p. 9.

[21]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 66.

[22]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Committee Hansard, 6 February 2025, p. 7.

[23]Mr Paul Wood, Chief Financial Officer, Australian Federal Police, Committee Hansard, 6February2025, p. 8.

[24]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 66.

[25]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 66. See also, Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Chief Operating Officer, Australian Federal Police, Committee Hansard, 6 February 2025, p. 7.

[26]Mr Reece Kershaw, Committee Hansard, 6 February 2025, p. 3.

[27]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 66.

[28]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Chief Operating Officer, AFP, Committee Hansard, 6February 2025, pp. 7–8.

[29]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 66.

[30]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 66.

[31]AFP, Annual Report 2022-23, p. 75.

[32]Mr Reece Kershaw APM, Commissioner, AFP, Committee Hansard, 6February2025, pp. 2–3.

[33]‘AFP announces new female recruitment target’, AFP, Media Release, 7 May 2021.

[34]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Chief Operating Officer, AFP, Committee Hansard, 6February 2025, p. 11.

[35]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Chief Operating Officer, AFP, Committee Hansard, 6February 2025, p. 10.

[36]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Additional Estimates, Committee Hansard, 19 March 2024, p. 24.

[37]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Additional Estimates, Proof Committee Hansard, 25 February 2025, p. 95.

[38]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Additional Estimates, Committee Hansard, 19 March 2024, p. 24.

[39]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Additional Estimates, Committee Hansard, 19 March 2024, p. 24.

[40]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Additional Estimates, Proof Committee Hansard, 25 February 2025, p. 95.

[41]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Additional Estimates, Proof Committee Hansard, 25 February 2025, p. 95.

[42]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Chief Operating Officer, AFP, Committee Hansard, 6February 2025, p. 10.

[43]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Chief Operating Officer, AFP, Committee Hansard, 6February 2025, p. 10.

[44]See AFP salaries and benefits webpage: https://www.afp.gov.au/jobs/benefits-conditions#tab-1725 accessed 19 February 2025.

[45]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, Chief Operating Officer, AFP, Committee Hansard, 6February 2025, p. 8.

[46]Mr Paul Wood, Chief Financial Officer, AFP, Committee Hansard, 6February2025, p. 8.See also AFP, Annual Report 2022-23, p. 68.

[47]Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, 2024-25 Supplementary Budget Estimates, Question number 233.

[48]Ms Katherine Van Gurp, AFP, Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Additional Estimates, Proof Committee Hansard, 25 February 2025, p. 96.

[49]AFP Wellbeing In Focus Staff Survey 2023.

[50]AFP, Annual Report 2022-23, p. 10.

[51]AFP, Annual Report 2022-23, p. 10.

[52]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 43.

[53]AFP, Response to written questions on notice, received 7 March 2025, pp. 2-3.

[54]AFP, Response to written questions on notice, received 7 March 2025, p. 3.

[55]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 23.

[56]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 23.

[57]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 23.

[58]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 23.

[59]AFP, Response to written questions on notice, received 7 March 2025, p. 3.

[60]Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement, Examination of the Australian Federal Police Annual Report 2022–23, February 2024, pp. 12–13. See also AFP, Annual Report 2022–23, pp. 24–25.

[61]AFP, Annual Report 2022-23, p. 25.

[62]AFP, Annual Report 2022-23, p. 25.

[63]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, p. 14.

[64]AFP, Annual Report 2023–24, pp. 14–15.

[65]AFP, Response to written questions on notice, received 7 March 2025, p. 3.

[66]Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement, Law enforcement capabilities in relation to child exploitation, November 2023.

[67]‘Sydney man arrested following deportation from Turkiye’, AFP Media Release, 4 December 2024.

[68]AFP employee means a person engaged under section 24 of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979.