Fraud and Corruption Against the Commonwealth 2024–25

In June 2026, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) published the Fraud and Corruption Against the Commonwealth 2024–25 report, which provides an annual picture of fraud and corruption across Australian Government entities. Based on responses from 162 Commonwealth entities through the AIC's annual census, the report provides insights into areas of risk, fraud and corruption responses and compliance with the Commonwealth Fraud and Corruption Control Framework 2024 (the Framework).

The AIC has administered an annual census on fraud against the Commonwealth since 2006. In 2025, the census also collected information on corruption for the first time, providing greater insight into the scale and nature of fraud and corruption impacting Commonwealth entities. The expansion to include corruption aligns the census with the Framework, which came into effect on 1 July 2024.

Key trends from the report include:

Fraud and Corruption Against the Commonwealth 2024–25 report cover
  • External fraud allegations increased, with Commonwealth entities receiving or detecting 348,072 allegations in 2024–25, a 27% increase on the previous year.
  • Automatic processes were the primary means of detecting fraud and corruption leading to finalised investigations and other responses, accounting for 59% of internal fraud and corruption cases and 91% of external fraud cases. This highlights the importance of automated monitoring tools and controls in identifying suspicious activities.
  • For substantiated allegations, program information was the most common target of internal fraud and corruption, while program payments were the most common target of external fraud.

The report also highlights the ongoing financial impact of fraud and corruption. For cases where the investigation was finalised in 2024–25:

  • 20 entities quantified external fraud losses, with a combined total of $110,695,167 – an increase from the previous year, where a total of $104,518,392 was reported by entities as quantifiable external fraud losses.
  • 13 entities quantified internal fraud and corruption losses, with a combined total of $2,408,859.

It is important to note that these figures only represent losses relating to substantiated allegations, where the reporting entity could quantify the loss. The true scale of fraud losses against the Commonwealth is likely to be significantly higher. Continued efforts to improve detection, reporting and quantification will strengthen the evidence base and enhance understanding of how fraud and corruption is impacting the Commonwealth.