What's it like to work at AUSTRAC?
On this page you can hear from some of AUSTRAC's staff and find out what it's like to work for Australia's financial intelligence unit and anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulator.
What brought you to AUSTRAC?
I wanted to be part of public policy from start to finish. This included being involved in creating legislative frameworks through to seeing policy being implemented in the real world.
Following the passing of the AML/CTF Act back in 2007/2008, AUSTRAC underwent a transformation to implement and educate on the new provisions, and there were many great opportunities to be part of the action.
Needless to say, I’m still here – the action (and opportunities) have not stopped!
What do you do in your role?
My work day can be varied: from speaking to businesses about the challenges they experience, exploring opportunities for legislative reform, or learning about new and emerging technologies and their ML/TF vulnerabilities. The icing on the cake for me was attending the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary meetings in Germany. FATF is the international policy and standard-setting body for all things AML/CTF – it was an amazing experience to hear how other jurisdictions are implementing and improving their AML/CTF regimes.
What is it like to work at AUSTRAC?
AUSTRAC as an organisation ticks all my boxes.
The work I do contributes to the public good – that is, the prevention and disruption of criminal abuse of our financial system and the protection of the community from serious and organised crime. Having previously worked in law enforcement and social justice environments, I like the buzz that comes from stopping criminal activity and helping others. AUSTRAC is unique as a regulator and financial intelligence unit, so it’s a privilege to do both: help law enforcement partners in their investigations and help businesses understand their risks and vulnerabilities.
In 2020, AUSTRAC was recognised as an Employer of Choice. Does that resonate with you?
Yes! I would never have lasted this long in one place if I didn’t connect with the culture.
Along with the engaging and meaningful work, AUSTRAC also offers flexible conditions and a great working environment.
Ultimately though, while the work itself is interesting and the flexibility is available, it’s really the colleagues that keep me coming back! A positive culture is not about one person, and it’s not something ‘the boss’ can tell you to do. A positive working culture is because the people around you make the work environment more engaging and supportive.
Jacinta, Director of Intelligence Collaboration
Nick, Senior Analyst
Careers at AUSTRAC
Our highly specialised workforce is critical to achieving AUSTRAC’s vision of a future where our financial system is free from criminal abuse.
We offer a challenging and rewarding career with meaningful work and a great culture with many benefits including hybrid work.
Find out more about careers at AUSTRAC.
Join our Talent Register.
The content on this website is general and is not legal advice. Before you make a decision or take a particular action based on the content on this website, you should check its accuracy, completeness, currency and relevance for your purposes. You may wish to seek independent professional advice.