Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee, , 7:30:43 to 7:33:36
An update on the Fraud Fusion Taskforce, covering tip-off statistics, investigation processes, and the number of successful fraud prosecutions.
Topics: Integrity, Government spending
Speakers: Hon Anne Ruston, John Dardo
Okay, just in relation to the fraud fusion task force. Some quick updates on that. Oh, doesn't she want that? Oh, okay, okay, that's yeah, I sort of come through on the five. Hi, Mr Down. Hi, I'm just wondering if you could provide us an update on the total number of TIF tip-offs and reports against providers registered and unregistered between the 1st of January 2026 and the 30th of September 2026.
Senator John Dardo and I wouldn't have that breakup at my fingertips.
Okay.
But I can certainly provide it at notice.
Okay, so on notice, um, how many were investigated? Um, how many were regarded as fraud, how many did you find fraudulent activities that occurred? Um what channel were the reports provided through? Did they come through web form letter telephone, etc.? How many fraud prosecutions have occurred during that time? Uh or and how many fruit prosecutions have occurred since the fraud fusion task force was set up. Um interested to understand what is the process of confirming a tip off has been received and is being investigated.
Senator, I will answer one of those questions very quickly. The the number of prosecutions since this task force was set up, and the definition of that is that there's been a sentencing outcome is 27. Um that doesn't include all the ones where a guilty verdict has been delivered but no sentencing or where they're still in trial or whether in the or they're in the CDP.
Is it possible to provide the breakdown of that data?
Uh yeah, we could certainly do that.
Yep.
Um the um tip-offs uh come in. Um there's an acknowledgement of a tip-off being received, so the person gets a reference number. Um clearly we cannot go back and tell the person an outcome of a tip-off. Um but but that they get a reference number of a zip-off.
So they they sort of you you basically acknowledge the fact that you're gonna do something about it, and then you obviously make the decision appropriate to that. Yep. Yep. Okay, cool. Um so I just yeah, if you could give us a general breakdown in relation to you know the statistics uh around what you found through your fraud fruit and task force since it's been in operation, that will be great. Um what about the justice system's participants?