The Commission’s Strategic Corruption Priorities are thematic issues it uses to focus its work exposing and preventing corrupt conduct in the Commonwealth public sector.
The Strategic Corruption Priorities aid decision-making (including prioritisation), drive proactive work, promote collaboration, improve transparency and inform the public’s understanding of the Commission’s work.
The Commission’s current Strategic Corruption Priorities are:
Corrupt conduct affecting vulnerable people
This covers any corrupt conduct involving the provision of services to vulnerable people.
Corrupt conduct in policy or the provision of services relating to vulnerable people reduces the volume and quality of government support, adds to the exploitation of vulnerable people and exacerbates systemic disadvantage and inequality.
Vulnerable people are also often disproportionately impacted by corrupt conduct and may experience barriers to accessing services designed to deter and expose corrupt conduct.
For the purposes of this Strategic Corruption Priority, ‘vulnerable people’ aligns with the definition used by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
Corrupt conduct at the Australian border
This includes all government activities that directly involve the Australian border, including the movement of goods, border taxation, biosecurity, border surveillance, migration and visa operations.
Corrupt conduct at the Australian border can undermine legitimate trade, travel and immigration, exposing Australia to national security, criminal, economic, environmental and social harms.
Corrupt conduct involving senior public officials
‘Senior public officials’ includes parliamentarians, agency heads, government appointments (including statutory, board and tribunal appointments), and senior executive service employees (and equivalent senior officers at Government Business Enterprises).
Corrupt conduct involving senior public officials can lead to serious economic and societal harms, often to a disproportionate degree compared to other public officials.
Even the perception of corrupt conduct among senior public officials can significantly harm public confidence and trust in government and negatively affect integrity cultures within public sector organisations.
Corrupt conduct involving contractors
‘Contractors’ includes private businesses or individuals contracted by the government to provide goods or services on behalf of and/or to the Commonwealth, including consultancies and subcontracted businesses.
Corrupt conduct in the Commonwealth’s use of contractors can lead to public money being wasted, a degradation of critical services and a loss of confidence in the Commonwealth public sector.
This Strategic Corruption Priority’s focus is particularly on issues where the activities of multiple contractors point toward a systemic corruption risk.
Corrupt conduct in procurement and grants
This includes the process of procuring goods or services or administering Commonwealth grants. It begins when a procurement or grant need has been identified and continues through the processes of risk assessment, seeking and evaluating solutions, identifying tenderers and grant recipients, awarding contracts and grants, delivery of and payment for the goods or services or grant arrangement, and ongoing contract management and contract completion.
The Australian government spends billions of dollars on procurements and grants each year. Corruption linked to these activities can lead to significant financial loss, poor service quality and reduced confidence in government.
Corrupt conduct affecting the environmental sector
This focuses the Commission’s activities on decisions, resource allocation and regulation in relation to environmental protection and natural resource management.
Climate change, habitat loss, invasive species and pollution can significantly impact Australia’s environment.
Complexities in funding, governance, and oversight arrangements make this sector a particularly vulnerable area for potential corrupt conduct.