NCJ Number
238534
Date Published
2012
Length
112 pages
Annotation
This report from the Australian National Audit Office presents the results of a performance audit of the Australian Federal Police's efforts to combat terrorism.
Abstract
The key findings from the Australian National Audit Office's performance audit of the Australian Federal Police's (AFP's) terrorism efforts fall into four primary categories: governance, offshore initiatives, onshore initiatives, and monitoring and evaluation. The audit found that AFP is engaged in all key elements of the country's counter-terrorism policy and priority setting frameworks, that it effectively coordinates its regional activities with those of international partners, that its business and action plans are complemented by strategic policies, and that its internal strategies provide a sound basis for managing the AFP's engagement with key stakeholders. Regarding its offshore initiative, the audit found that AFP has worked successfully with regional stakeholders in priority countries, and that it has a substantial record of cooperative activities. Findings regarding AFP's onshore initiatives indicate that the AFP has maximized the funds provided to it for developing counter-terrorism efforts and improving their organizational abilities to support counter-terrorism investigations. The audit of AFP's operations did find that AFP needs to improve its approach to project management and associated oversight arrangements, and improve identification of key risks in strategic planning documentation along with relevant approaches to and accountabilities for risk mitigation in order to improve its overall executive visibility and assurance. The Australian National Audit Office examined a broad range of measures and activities relating to AFP's counter-terrorism efforts to determine the extent to which they were aligned with key components of the Fighting Terrorism initiative. The findings indicate that while the AFP has been successful at conducting its counter-terrorism efforts improvement still needs to be made in the delivery of specific strategies, more effective risk management, and strengthening the strategic management of offshore regional counter-terrorism cooperation. Tables, figures, and appendixes