Read about the international partnerships and initiatives we’re part of to combat serious financial crime.
New technology makes it easier and faster to do business and move money around the world. It also creates opportunities for criminals to misuse the global financial system.
To respond, we work with international efforts to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and other serious financial crimes.
We do this by:
- taking part in regional and global forums, including:
- Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG)
- Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
- Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs).
- supporting international partners through technical assistance, training and systems improvements to strengthen their capabilities
- sharing information and intelligence with FIUs and regulators around the world through formal agreements (exchange instruments)
- co-chairing the Financial Intelligence Consultative Group (FICG), and the Pacific Financial Intelligence Community (PFIC) consisting of FIUs from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Pacific
- co-chairing the Pacific Supervisors Forum (PSF) consisting of AML supervisors in the Pacific.
This work helps strengthen domestic, regional and global resistance to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) threats.
International Programs – Indo-Pacific
We deliver tailored programs across the Indo-Pacific region. These programs build and share financial intelligence and analytic expertise.
They improve cooperation, strengthen regional resilience, and support the fight against financial crime.
We deliver programs in the following locations.
The Pacific
Our AUSTRAC-Pacific Islands Partnership Program supports Pacific partners to build their AML/CTF capability.
Project Taipan helps Pacific FIUs develop and install new IT systems to improve their capability.
Watch the video to learn more about the Taipan system.
Southeast Asia
Our programs in Southeast Asia partner with countries in the region to counter transnational crime and deliver targeted capacity-building activities that strengthen AML/CTF frameworks.
Regional leadership
We are part of leadership groups in our region.
The Egmont Group
Formed in 1995, the Egmont Group is a global network of 182 FIUs. It provides a forum for members to share information and expertise to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.
We’re a founding member and play an active role in the network. We help shape policy and support cooperation between countries.
We focus on:
- building capability and providing technical support, especially in the Indo-Pacific
- sharing best practices and knowledge to responses to new risks
- supporting public-private partnerships through initiatives like the Fintel Alliance
- promoting transparency, accountability and a strong financial system.
In the Asia Pacific region, we work with the Financial Intelligence Consultative Group (FICG) and Pacific Financial Intelligence Community (PFIC).
These partnerships improve coordination, support information sharing, and strengthen responses to cross-border crime.
Financial Intelligence Consultative Group (FICG)
In 2016, we established the Financial Intelligence Consultative Group (FICG) with Indonesia’s FIU.
FICG brings together senior representatives from 11 Southeast Asian FIUs, as well as Australia and New Zealand. Japan and Fiji also take part as observers.
We co-chair FICG with a rotating co-chair selected by member countries (currently the Philippines’ FIU, AMLC). We also host the FICG Secretariat and run quarterly meetings and an annual plenary.
The FICG helps members to:
- work together on operations
- share intelligence
- build capability to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.
This work supports strong international partnerships and practical progress across Southeast Asia.
Pacific Financial Intelligence Community (PFIC)
In 2021, we established the Pacific Financial Intelligence Community (PFIC) with Papua New Guinea’s Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit (FASU), the Fiji FIU and the New Zealand FIU.
PFIC is a regional forum that brings together 15 FIUs from across the South Pacific. It helps strengthen cooperation to combat financial crime.
We co-chair PFIC with a rotating chair from member, currently The Republic of Naoero.
Members meet regularly to share insights, coordinate strategies, and work on shared priorities. PFIC also holds meetings every 2 months and an annual in-person plenary.
PFIC builds trust and supports joint action. This helps Pacific nations respond more effectively to financial crime.
FASU-AUSTRAC Mutual Evaluation Support (FAMES) Program
We have a long-standing partnership with Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) FASU. This includes support for building capability and working together on operations. PNG is an important intelligence partner for us and a key strategic partner for the Australian Government.
To help FASU prepare and respond to PNG’s 2024 mutual evaluation (ME), we set up a new capacity building program with funding from DFAT. For more information, view the Papua New Guinea MER 2024.
The FAMES program is part of our International Programs team and consists of two staff. The program runs for 3 years and includes:
- targeted financial intelligence capacity building training
- analyst exchanges between us and FASU
- joint intelligence and supervisory projects with international partners
- improvements to FASU’s intelligence databases and IT infrastructure.
Programs like FAMES help us build strong relationships with key partners. They also support partner agencies to better manage AML/CTF risks in their countries.
Pacific Supervisors Forum (PSF)
The Pacific AML/CTF Supervisors’ Forum (PSF) was established in 2019 as a forum for AML/CTF supervisors across the Pacific region. It was created to provide a regular mechanism for supervisors to connect, share experiences and discuss common regulatory challenges through a combination of virtual and in‑person meetings. AUSTRAC assumed the role of PSF co-chair in2024.
Members meet regularly to identify shared money laundering, terrorism financing and proliferation financing risks, share experiences and build supervisory capacity in the Pacific region. The forum supports AML/CTF cooperation, capability building and harmonised supervisory approaches in the Pacific.
International presence
We base our liaison officers in key locations around the world. They support international initiatives and joint work with other countries.
We have officers located in:
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Beijing, China
- London, UK
- Washington DC, USA
- Suva, Fiji.
Our liaison officers build strong working relationships with partner FIUs and other regional and global AML/CTF partners. They help position us as a trusted international partner.
Australia-based program managers help our liaison officers. They deliver targeted capacity-building programs across the Pacific, and Southeast Asia.
This guidance sets out how we interpret certain Australian legislation, along with associated Rules and regulations. Australian courts are ultimately responsible for interpreting these laws and determining if any provisions of these laws are contravened.
The examples and scenarios in this guidance are meant to help explain our interpretation of these laws. They’re not exhaustive or meant to cover every possible scenario.
This guidance provides general information and isn't a substitute for legal advice. This guidance avoids legal language wherever possible and it might include generalisations about the application of the law. Some provisions of the law referred to have exceptions or important qualifications. In most cases your particular circumstances must be taken into account when determining how the law applies to you.