Business Plan 2024-25 | Australian Federal Police

Our working environment

The AFP continually monitors and assesses our operating environment to ensure we can achieve our objectives. The various geopolitical, social, economic and technological changes in our environment can directly and indirectly impact the AFP and also shape the criminal environment, as explored in the AFP Federal Crime Threat Picture. Despite these changes, the AFP strives to evolve with our operating environment to ensure we continue to keep Australians and Australia safe.

Geopolitical change

Geopolitical changes will continue to shape our domestic and international policing and national security environments. Australia continues to play a key role in supporting the peaceful stability of the region, and there remains strong demand for the AFP to support the advancement of policing and law enforcement outcomes in the Pacific. However, conflicts further afield may create resonant national security challenges and tensions between parts of the Australian community, potentially impacting on social cohesion.

Global conflict and competition also complicate supply chains for criminal activity and police responses. While this can increase the cost and impact of police operations, the cost of inaction remains greater due to the increased risk of international criminal threats operating in or affecting Australia. These conflicts are also expected to impact our international partnerships as operating in some regions may become increasingly difficult, international government priorities may change and perceptions of policing may become polarised.

The AFP recognises that climate change has the potential to exacerbate various safety and security risks, through increased resource scarcity, organised crime, infrastructure challenges, migration and displacement. More awareness and preparedness efforts are needed to ensure that police and all critical services can manage the potential long-term impacts of climate change.

Despite these anticipated challenges, the AFP’s international presence remains key, with us maximising our impact through the use of capabilities and resources. This is particularly important as most crime and criminal influences are offshore. It is critical that we disrupt these threats before they reach Australian shores and impact our communities. Our offshore partnerships are expected to grow, particularly in the Pacific region, and enhance our ability to prevent, deter and disrupt criminal and national security threats. Pacific and South East Asian countries will continue to be some of our most important partners, given their geographical proximity to Australia and their attractiveness as targets for geopolitical actors and organised crime.

Social changes

One of the biggest societal changes affecting the AFP is the changing needs of the workforce. We expect continued challenges related to the increasing skills and experiences required for modern policing, increasing representation, competition in key labor markets, and the need to balance an increasingly multigenerational workplace.

Changing societal views on youth crime are contributing to debates about the age of criminal responsibility across Australia. Furthermore, changing attitudes towards illicit drugs are manifesting themselves in legislative changes, such as the ACT’s Drug Addiction Act 1989at a time when drug use remains high across Australia. We continue to work with the community while responding to the complexities of modern policing by adapting our operational model and investigative processes where necessary.

Trust and confidence in the police and other institutions remain an important factor in shaping community relations, particularly as a result of the challenges to societal attitudes towards government and the police that have emerged both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Australians remain deeply engaged with our political system and it is important for the health of Australia’s democracy that interactions between politicians and the public remain safe.

Furthermore, high levels of public trust are strategically important to the AFP. High levels of trust are associated with increased crime reporting, stronger provision of information and intelligence, and greater community support for the legislative reforms that police need to adapt to a changing environment. The AFP’s Community Confidence Survey indicates strong levels of trust in the AFP,¹ and the National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing found that residents of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) have relatively high perceptions of safety at home and in public places.²

Economic conditions

Economic conditions, both in Australia and internationally, continue to be influenced by ongoing geopolitical and social shocks. Macroeconomic factors are having a downstream effect on communities, including the rising cost of living compared to previous years. While Australia remains a relatively prosperous country by international standards, rising costs of household goods, energy, housing and other essential living expenses are having a widespread impact on Australians. As these costs increase, it is likely that opportunistic actors will capitalise on vulnerable Australians through scams and other fraudulent schemes. The AFP recognises that law enforcement is only one aspect of the response to cybercrime, and we will continue to invest in public awareness and education programs to promote cyber safety.

The AFP remains strongly focused on operating within its operating budget while managing evolving criminal threats. Through investment in the AFP, the government has strengthened our workforce and our ability to achieve additional objectives. However, the AFP faces a range of external operating pressures and increased operating costs and we must continue to strive for efficiencies to meet government expectations.

Technological change

Technology is expected to continue to evolve at a rapid pace, shaping both the criminal threat environment and our policing capabilities. All types of crime and policing functions are impacted by the use of technology, including how emerging technologies such as AI, biomedical capabilities, robotics and machine learning will accelerate this impact.

Technology is a significant enabler of criminal activity against Australians, including cybercriminals. Online child grooming and abuse, and the easy exposure to abhorrent and violent extremist material, continues to grow. Australia also faces increasing, persistent and pervasive cybercrime threats targeting critical infrastructure, government, industry and the community. The AFP will continue to prevent, deter and respond to these threats using both traditional and innovative policing methods.

The AFP Blue Paper 2030 and Beyond sets out the future of the Federal Police in leading, embracing and harnessing technology. We recognise the importance of Digital Evolution 4.0, including the influential role of AI as a key driver of transformative change that impacts the Australian community and in turn the police. The AFP recognises that we must hold ourselves to a high standard as the technology landscape changes, and we will ensure accountability, transparency and responsibility when adopting new technology.