The Australian Government has committed more than $5 million over the next two years to strengthen Australia’s financial crime-fighting partnerships with Pacific nations. 

The Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke said, “The key to fighting organised crime is to follow the money and that’s exactly what this will do.”

AUSTRAC CEO and newly appointed Pacific Financial Intelligence Community (PFIC) co-chair Brendan Thomas said the funding will help disrupt drug trafficking, child sexual exploitation, environmental crime and other serious crimes affecting Australia and the region.

“These crimes cause significant harm to Australian and Pacific communities and every dollar laundered helps them flourish,” he said. 

“AUSTRAC’s long-standing Pacific partnerships are aimed at helping the region better detect and disrupt illicit money flows linked to transnational organised crime.”

The investment builds on AUSTRAC’s leadership in the region through the PFIC – a regional network of Pacific financial intelligence units (FIUs) that collaborate, share intelligence and respond to current and emerging financial crime threats.

AUSTRAC’s work includes giving Pacific partners the tools and capability to follow the money behind serious crime. For example, Project Taipan is AUSTRAC’s purpose‑built financial intelligence system designed specifically for Pacific FIUs. 

Since its first rollout in Fiji in 2022, Taipan has been implemented in 10 Pacific countries, addressing a critical capability gap by providing secure systems to receive financial transaction reports and advanced analytical tools to identify and analyse suspicious activity and enable intelligence sharing with law enforcement.

“With this funding AUSTRAC will strengthen those capabilities even further - including using artificial intelligence to more effectively detect illicit financial flows and to ultimately protect communities across the region and in Australia.”

“This investment is about giving Pacific partners the tools and skills to follow the money behind serious crime, ensuring Pacific partners are equipped to protect their financial systems and, in turn, Australia’s.”

AUSTRAC is also expanding training and mentoring for analysts and regulators, focused on practical detection techniques, emerging criminal trends impacting the region, and stronger engagement with reporting entities.

Last week an AUSTRAC representative travelled to Fiji to present at the AFP-Fiji Transnational Serious Organised Crime Conference. 

This highlighted Australia’s leadership in strengthening financial intelligence partnerships and building further capacity across the Pacific. 

The visit also advanced discussions on public-private partnerships, reinforcing a collaborative approach to tackling financial crime, through closer engagement between government and industry. 

AUSTRAC maintains a permanent presence in the region, with a Pacific Liaison Officer based in Suva, Fiji, providing on-the-ground support and strengthening operational collaboration.

“This is a long-term partnership. We’re working side by side with Pacific agencies to build capability, share intelligence and stop criminal activity at its source.”

AUSTRAC works closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Federal police (AFP) and regional partners to deliver programs as part of Australia’s broader commitment to stability, security and prosperity in the Pacific.

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