This risk assessment of Australia’s not-for-profit sector was published in August 2017, and is a joint report from the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits commission (ACNC) and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC). It followed extensive analysis of the sector.
Summary
What is a risk assessment?
A risk assessment looks at the threats, vulnerabilities and consequences of particular risks and provides an overall risk rating.
The ACNC-AUSTRAC Australia’s non-profit organisation sector: Money laundering and terrorism financing risk assessment looked at the risks facing the not-for-profit sector. It found:
- the overall rating for terrorism financing to be medium.
- the overall risk rating for money laundering is also medium.
What was the aim of the national risk assessment?
This risk assessment aimed to identify:
- the risk of money laundering and terrorism financing in the not-for-profit sector
- vulnerabilities and risk indicators of high-risk organisations
- groups of high-risk organisations that will benefit from targeted outreach and support
- vulnerabilities that could be exploited to support terrorism, and a strategy to counter these vulnerabilities
Why did we need this risk assessment?
This risk assessment aimed to build a better understanding of the extent, nature and types of money laundering and terrorism financing risks faced by the not-for-profit sector.
It provides insight into where the risks lie for the not-for-profit sector and includes practical strategies and tools to help not-for-profits protect themselves against these risks.
The risk assessment will inform a whole-of-government framework for the following:
- targeting of future outreach to the sector
- ensuring supervision and monitoring of the sector is appropriate and risk-based
- coordinating information-gathering and investigations of not-for-profits at risk of misuse.
The risk assessment also improves Australia’s compliance with the international standards identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body that develops and promotes policies to protect the global financial system against money laundering, the financing of terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Learn more about the Financial Action Task Force and its recommendations.
What was involved?
The ACNC and AUSTRAC worked together to undertake the national risk assessment on charities and not-for-profit organisations. The risk assessment considered qualitative and quantitative data about the not-for-profit sector, as well as academic research and intelligence from law enforcement agencies.
More information
For more information, contact the risk assessment team at intelligence@acnc.gov.au.