Operational activity
As at 27 November 2024, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (the Commission):
- is conducting 38 preliminary investigations
- is conducting 29 corruption investigations, including 6 joint investigations
- is overseeing or monitoring 19 investigations by other agencies
- has 5 matters before the court
- has 558 referrals pending assessment.
Over the period from 1 July 2024 to midnight Sunday 24 November 2024, the Commission:
- received 1051 referrals
- excluded 837 referrals at triage stage.
Read about how the Commission assesses corruption issues and the investigation process.
Commonwealth Procurement and Contract Management Conference 2024
On Monday 25 November 2024, National Anti-Corruption Commissioner, the Hon Paul Brereton AM RFD SC spoke at the Department of Finance’s Commonwealth Procurement and Contract Management Conference, on the subject of Combating corruption in procurement.
Corruption in public sector procurement is one of the 3 predominant themes that have emerged in referrals to the Commission since it commenced in July 2023. Procurement is also one of the Commission’s strategic corruption priorities, that is, one of the areas in which our efforts are focused. Of our 29 current corruption investigations, 8 relate to procurement.
The key risks of corruption in Commonwealth procurement include:
- failure to follow applicable processes
- inadequate documentation of decisions and reasons
- influence of associates, including existing connections and external actors
- limited tender processes
- misuse of inside information.
In addition, the Commission has identified that entities are at a greater risk when they:
- have a close relationship with industry
- oversee very large and or very high value projects
- have issues with governance, oversight, record-keeping and reporting.