Gangland crackdown: $54m to put bikies, mafia in frame
BIKIE gangs, the mafia and Asian triads running drugs into Australia will be targeted with a surge in intelligence officers under a $54m budget boost.
Crooks have been put on notice that they will be more closely monitored, with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission to hire an extra 161 staff this year. The commission’s extra cash and staff will also help expand its secret hearings under “coercive powers” that can jail suspected criminals if they refuse to dob in their mates.
The Australian Federal Police budget has also increased by $100m, with plans to set up a cybercrime task force.
Extra money will be used to return the wives and children of Australian Islamic State fighters from Syria, with that bill likely to be tens of millions of dollars. Mike Phelan, the chief executive of ACIC, has been given an expanded brief to share intelligence with state police forces in real time.
“The ACIC is developing the National Criminal Intelligence System capability to provide the first truly national and unified picture of criminal activities,” the budget papers say.
The sophisticated intelligence-sharing program would help police check criminal records and monitor criminals’ movements and activities across state borders.
The budget papers outline the government’s commitment to fighting international drug cartels, which create misery on Australia’s streets.
“The Australian government has provided funding for ACIC to deliver several policy initiatives to combat transnational, serious and organised crime,” the papers state. ACIC’S staff will increase from 691 to 852, not including those who were seconded to other departments.
The AFP’S budget includes money to establish a Joint Police Cybercrime Co-ordination Centre. Money was also set aside to fight child abuse. There are also funds to manage and monitor terrorists who have been released from jail.