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Federal
Non-corporate Commonwealth Entity
Immigration and Border Control

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission

Portfolio: Home Affairs

http://www.acic.gov.au

Annual Budget

$395M

2026-27 Budget (Budget Paper No. 4)
+6.7%vs prior year ($371M)
Total Revenue

$180M

2024-25 Total Revenue
Staff

850

Headcount (2024-25)
Budget Commentary

Material upward shift in 2026-27 funding (+6.7%, $25M change). 2025-26 estimated actual $371M → 2026-27 budget $395M. Source: Budget Paper No. 4, Agency Resourcing tables.

Major Digital Projects
13

National Criminal Intelligence System (NCIS)

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission

Tier 1
DCA: Medium
Active

Total Budget

$373.7M

Digital Budget

$373.7M

January 2018June 2027

The NCIS will provide secure access to a national view of criminal information and intelligence.

Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Reform - AUSTRAC

Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC)

Tier 2
DCA: High
Active

Total Budget

$159.4M

Digital Budget

$53.1M

July 2024June 2026

The Australian Government is reforming Australia’s Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) regime to combat illicit financing and meet international standards, extending regulation to Tranche 2 entities. AUSTRAC will implement these changes, increasing the regulated population from 17,000 to over 100,000. This expansion will profoundly impact AUSTRAC’s regulatory activities, requiring a redesign of its approach.

Digital Trade Accelerator Projects (DTAP)

Department of Home Affairs

Tier 2
DCA: High
Active

Total Budget

$29.9M

Digital Budget

$29.9M

July 2024June 2026

The DTAP will improve cross-border trade by enhancing border and biosecurity risk assessments and government-to-business trade data sharing.

National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) NextGen

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission

Tier 2
DCA: High
Active

Total Budget

$40.2M

Digital Budget

$40.2M

November 2020October 2025

The NAFIS NextGen will provide improved system serviceability by implementing a modern, future-proof software platform and cloud infrastructure hosting for the matching of national fingerprint data.

National Firearms Register (NFR) Program

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission

Tier 2
DCA: Medium
Active

Total Budget

$161.2M

Digital Budget

$161.2M

July 2024June 2028

The NFR Program is delivering a significant capability uplift of the existing Australian Firearms Information Network (AFIN). As part of this uplift, the program will deliver a secure, end-to-end information management sharing system for firearm licences and permits. The NFR will provide timely, consistent and accurate information on firearms and their owners across all jurisdictions, strengthening law enforcement capability and enhancing police and community safety. The program is being delivered under a federated model across multiple Commonwealth agencies and jurisdictions. The financial figures presented in this report relate specifically to Commonwealth funding provided to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission as the lead agency, and do not include funding allocated to other Commonwealth agencies or jurisdictions participating in the broader program implementation. At the time of preparing this reporting, the program is subject to the escalation protocols set out in the Assurance Framework for Digital and ICT Investments. These protocols are designed to support agencies in the timely resolution of delivery challenges.

Streamlining the Cargo Intervention Model (SCIM) – First Pass Business Case

Department of Home Affairs

Tier 2
DCA: Medium
Active

Total Budget

$25.2M

Digital Budget

$25.2M

February 2024June 2027

This project will design, test and evaluate new cargo intervention models for cross-border trade. A trial will be conducted at a selected high-volume seaport.

Visa Modernisation/Digitisation – Sustaining Visa Processing Capability (SVPC)

Department of Home Affairs

Tier 2
DCA: High
Active

Total Budget

$24.2M

Digital Budget

$24.2M

July 2023June 2026

This investment will improve existing visa systems in Home Affairs. Enhancements will be designed for future reuse and deliver broad operational benefits. This investment is an interim solution to sustain and enhance the existing ICT visa systems to improve visa service delivery and increase Australia’s attractiveness as a destination for travellers, temporary residents and migrants.

Australian Border Force (ABF) NEXUS

Department of Home Affairs

Tier 3
Active

Total Budget

$6.7M

Digital Budget

$6.7M

January 2024June 2027

This project involves the development and trial of ABF Nexus application in the air cargo domain and the development of the business case for full roll out of the application across all operational domains Australia wide. Once rolled out, the application will be used nationally to record cargo examination information.

Disaster Program Management System (DPMS)

National Emergency Management Agency

Tier 3
Paused

Total Budget

$6.8M

Digital Budget

$6.8M

July 2024TBC

The DPMS will accurately track Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) programs at the community level and generate improved insights into program management. It will improve stability, automation and end-to-end processes, and create a robust foundation for improvements that will provide appropriate oversight of delivery of Commonwealth-funded programs.

Investigation Management Solution (IMS) Program

Australian Federal Police

Tier 3
Closed

Total Budget

$54.5M

Digital Budget

$54.5M

April 2020June 2025

The IMS provides the Australian Federal Police (AFP) with the ability to manage investigative processes and related investigative information in a single system, enabling a consistent approach to the management of investigative information across the AFP.

Operations and Funding Arrangements for the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) – Secure Internet Gateway

Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission

Tier 3
Closed

Total Budget

$6.4M

Digital Budget

$6.4M

December 2023September 2025

This project involved the transition of the Secure Internet Gateway (SIG) to provide the agency with secure entry and exit points for services consumed and provided via the internet. This project related to operations and funding arrangements for the ACIC.

Paperless Trading – Digital Verification Platform (DVP)

Department of Home Affairs

Tier 3
Closed

Total Budget

$9.1M

Digital Budget

$9.1M

January 2022February 2025

This project involved the implementation of a DVP for priority trade documentation that will simplify trade for Australian exporters with trusted digital trade documents.

Risk Assessment Tobacco

Department of Home Affairs

Tier 3
Active

Total Budget

$10.1M

Digital Budget

$10.1M

April 2024June 2027

This project involves the uplift of vaping and illicit tobacco risk targeting and threat detection.

Ideas relevant to this department

12 tagged

Reform proposals on YourGov that name this department as a delivery partner — drawn from citizen voice, government strategy, research, international examples and gap analysis.

STRATEGY SUMMARY

To protect Australia from serious criminal threats by collecting, assessing and disseminating intelligence and policing information. [AR p.5] [CP p.5]

VISION

An Australia hostile to criminal exploitation. [AR p.2]

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.2

PURPOSE

To protect Australia from serious criminal threats by collecting, assessing and disseminating intelligence and policing information. [AR p.5] [CP p.5]

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.5

Strategic priorities

· 1

1

To protect Australia from serious criminal threats by collecting, assessing and disseminating intelligence and policing

To protect Australia from serious criminal threats by collecting, assessing and disseminating intelligence and policing information.

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.5

Outcomes

· 1

Outcome 1: To protect Australia from criminal threats through coordinating a strategic response and the collection, assessment and dissemination of intelligence and policing information.

The ACIC supports the protection of Australia from criminal threats through developing and coordinating innovative disruption strategies that disable or dismantle criminal groups. The ACIC, through Board-approved special investigations and special operations collects, assesses and disseminates criminal intelligence to improve the national ability to respond to crime affecting Australia. The ACIC provides high-quality national policing information systems and services to Commonwealth and law enforcement partners and keeps the community safe through delivery of background checking services to support employment or entitlement decisions.

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • To collect, analyse and communicate intelligence relating to serious and organised crime impacting Australia, including where it has a transnational dimension.
  • To ensure that there are systems and services that enable criminal intelligence and police information to be shared across jurisdictions, including the provision of nationally coordinated criminal history checks.

Values

· 5

Integrity

Respect

Innovation

Excellence

Courage

Performance measures

· 6

CodeMeasureTarget 2025-26Latest resultStatus

CCE01

Percentage of stakeholders that requested an additional intelligence product disclosure

Equal to or greater than 60%

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.15

Fully met

Annual Report 2023-24 · p.6
Achieved

CCE02

ACIC intelligence insights and advice are impactful, informed and influential on partner operational or policy activities

Equal to or greater than 80%

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.15

Substantially met

Annual Report 2023-24 · p.6
Substantially achieved

CCE03

National system availability

Collective attainment of A rating equal to or greater than 'substantially met'

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.16

Eleven of the 12 national information systems met or exceeded the availability benchmarks set by the ACIC Board.

Annual Report 2023-24 · p.6
Achieved

CCE04

Stakeholders agree or strongly agree that ACIC national policing information systems are of value to their work

Equal to or greater than 80%

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.17

80% agreed

Annual Report 2023-24 · p.6
Substantially achieved

CCE05

Percentages of ACIC components for urgent checks and standard checks that are delivered on time

Urgent checks completed in 5 business days: Equal to or greater than 95%, Standard checks completed in 10 business days: Equal to or greater than 95%

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.18

98.4% of urgent checks and 97.2% of standard checks within benchmarks set by the ACIC Board.

Annual Report 2023-24 · p.6
Achieved

CCE06

The ACIC undertakes audits of accredited bodies and ensures their compliance with established timeframes

Equal to or greater than 10%

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.19

The ACIC audited 24% of accredited bodies, exceeding the target of 10%.

Annual Report 2023-24 · p.6
Achieved

Ideas distilled from this entity's strategy & evidence

· 12

Data & Performance

KPI evidence register with named owners

Create a simple register mapping each KPI to source data, owner, frequency, target, and last result.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

ACIC%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.PDF)

Data & Performance

Outcome dashboard linking budget, delivery, and public impact

Build a public-facing outcome dashboard showing spend, outputs, outcomes, and delivery confidence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

ACIC%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.PDF)

Risk & Assurance

Recommendation tracker for audits, reviews, and inquiries

Publish a single internal tracker for audit/review recommendations, owners, due dates, and implementation evidence.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Risk & Assurance

Integrated assurance and lessons-learned system

Create an assurance system that connects audit findings, risk registers, delivery reviews, and investment decisions.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Citizen Services

Plain-language service pages and proactive status updates

Rewrite high-volume pages and letters into plain language, add status notifications, and measure contact reduction.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

2021-22%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report.pdf)

Citizen Services

Single front door for life-event based services

Bundle services around life events so citizens can complete related steps across agencies in one journey.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

2021-22%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Reusable briefing and summary assistant for internal documents

Create controlled templates for summarising reports, submissions, minutes, and ministerial briefs.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Department-wide knowledge and briefing platform

Build a secure knowledge platform that lets staff search, summarise, and cite approved departmental material.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Regulation & Policy

Regulatory burden scan for forms, guidance, and reporting

Identify the top 10 highest-friction reporting obligations and simplify guidance, forms, or evidence requirements.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Regulation & Policy

Adaptive regulation program with live feedback loops

Create an adaptive regulation model using sandboxes, industry data, risk scoring, and regular rule updates.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Citizen Participation

Consultation feedback summaries with response tracking

Summarise consultation submissions by theme and publish what changed in response.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

ACIC%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.PDF)

Citizen Participation

Always-on policy participation platform

Create a standing participation platform where citizens and stakeholders can propose, vote, and track ideas.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

ACIC%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.PDF)

Data & Performance

KPI evidence register with named owners

Create a simple register mapping each KPI to source data, owner, frequency, target, and last result.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

ACIC%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.PDF)

Data & Performance

Outcome dashboard linking budget, delivery, and public impact

Build a public-facing outcome dashboard showing spend, outputs, outcomes, and delivery confidence.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

ACIC%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.PDF)

Risk & Assurance

Recommendation tracker for audits, reviews, and inquiries

Publish a single internal tracker for audit/review recommendations, owners, due dates, and implementation evidence.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Risk & Assurance

Integrated assurance and lessons-learned system

Create an assurance system that connects audit findings, risk registers, delivery reviews, and investment decisions.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Citizen Services

Plain-language service pages and proactive status updates

Rewrite high-volume pages and letters into plain language, add status notifications, and measure contact reduction.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

2021-22%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report.pdf)

Citizen Services

Single front door for life-event based services

Bundle services around life events so citizens can complete related steps across agencies in one journey.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

2021-22%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Reusable briefing and summary assistant for internal documents

Create controlled templates for summarising reports, submissions, minutes, and ministerial briefs.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Staff Productivity

Department-wide knowledge and briefing platform

Build a secure knowledge platform that lets staff search, summarise, and cite approved departmental material.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Regulation & Policy

Regulatory burden scan for forms, guidance, and reporting

Identify the top 10 highest-friction reporting obligations and simplify guidance, forms, or evidence requirements.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Regulation & Policy

Adaptive regulation program with live feedback loops

Create an adaptive regulation model using sandboxes, industry data, risk scoring, and regular rule updates.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

2020-21%20ACIC%20Annual%20Report%20FULL_0.pdf)

Citizen Participation

Consultation feedback summaries with response tracking

Summarise consultation submissions by theme and publish what changed in response.

Impact: High
Effort: Low
small

ACIC%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.PDF)

Citizen Participation

Always-on policy participation platform

Create a standing participation platform where citizens and stakeholders can propose, vote, and track ideas.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
large

ACIC%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.PDF)

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