Biosecurity Officer exploits his trusted position and endangers Australia’s ecosystems
Date published
December 2018
Relevant impacts: Environmental impact, government outcomes impact and reputational impact
A former Biosecurity Officer at the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture (as it was then known) abused his position to coordinate the import of animals into Australia illegally. As part of the man’s employment he was responsible for inspecting cargo and specimens being imported into Australia. He used this position of trust and access to take and then sell the animals online. The man was convicted and sentenced to 3 years in prison.
Related fraudster personas
Related countermeasures
Make sure a manager, independent person or expert oversees actions and decisions. Involving multiple people in actions and decisions increases transparency and reduces the opportunity for fraud.
Internal or external audits or reviews evaluate the process, purpose and outcome of activities. Clients, public officials or contractors can take advantage of weaknesses in government programs and systems to commit fraud, act corruptly, and avoid exposure.
Put in place processes for staff or external parties to lodge tip-offs or Public Interest Disclosures.
Separate duties by allocating tasks and associated privileges for a business process to multiple staff. This is very important in areas such as payroll, finance, procurement, contract management and human resources. Systems help to enforce the strong separation of duties. This is also known as segregation of duties.
Prepare summary reports on activities for clients, managers or responsible staff.
Train and support staff to identify red flags to detect fraud, know what to do if they suspect fraud and know how to report it. Fraudsters can take advantage if staff and contractors are not aware of what constitutes fraud and corruption.
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