Aus and UK Partner Against Fraud

On 23 February 2023 the Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Centre began a Counter Fraud Partnership with the United Kingdom’s Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). This Counter Fraud Partnership formalises the already close relationship between our Centre and the PSFA. The partnership was co-launched by our Attorney-General (via the Fighting Fraud with International Partnership media release) and by Baroness Neville-Rolfe during her keynote speech at the UK Counter Fraud 2023 Conference. You can read her speech via the Gov UK website.

Under the partnership, the Centre and the PSFA will share information and expertise on countering fraud, collaborate to produce counter-fraud products and guidance and contribute to the development of an international narrative and message on the impacts of fraud against the public sector.

The Centre and the PSFA will work together on multiple projects in 2023, including guidance on insider threats, professional data analytics and measurement techniques and steps toward standards for an international counter-fraud profession.

In April 2023, co-Director of the Centre Christopher McDermott pictured on the left below, travelled to London to pilot a 3-month international counter-fraud secondment program with the PSFA. After the pilot program, Australia and the United Kingdom will expand the secondment program participation to the members of the Five Eyes International Public Sector Fraud Forum (IPSFF). 

The PSFA was established by the UK Cabinet Office and His Majesty’s Treasury in July 2022 to serve as the UK Government’s Centre of Expertise on the management of public sector fraud. It leads the UK Government’s counter fraud function, which brings together approximately 16,000 public servants in UK ministerial departments and public bodies to fight fraud. The PSFA and the Centre have previously worked closely together on bilateral projects and with other partners in the Five Eyes group.

Public sector fraud is a significant international problem. According to IPSFF estimates, public bodies may typically lose between 0.5% to 5% of their spending to fraud and related loss. Internationally, fraudsters may use similar methods to defraud government programs, move their operations across borders to avoid detection and exploit vulnerabilities, and to share information and tactics with transnational criminal organisations.

However, just as fraudsters can take advantage of international alliances, so can governments - to share expertise, build resilience and toughen programs.

This partnership is an exciting step in the fight against public sector fraud and one which will benefit all entities within the Australian government. Through a close working relationship, the Centre can harness the expertise and knowledge of the PSFA to guide and shape Australia’s response to fraud, build mutual capabilities within and across our respective governments and uphold the integrity of government systems.

If you have any questions, please contact the Centre on info@counterfraud.gov.au.