Audit Exposes Widespread Travel Policy Breaches at National Crime Agency
A comprehensive audit has revealed significant failures in travel compliance at one of Australia's key law enforcement agencies, with officials repeatedly bypassing mandatory booking requirements over a three-year period.
Systematic Failure to Select Cheapest Flights
The Australian National Audit Office investigation found that staff at the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission selected the cheapest available airfare in just 30 percent of domestic travel bookings between July 2022 and June 2025. This represents a substantial deviation from government policy, which requires public servants to book the "lowest practical fare" that meets business needs.
The audit identified more than 200 specific breaches of travel policy during this period, with the majority involving officials booking flights and accommodation without obtaining proper approval. Agency personnel frequently used the "flexibility" booking code to justify more expensive ticket selections, accounting for half of all domestic travel arrangements.
Significant Financial Implications and Internal Warnings
The agency's travel expenditure reached $9.2 million in the 2025 financial year alone, covering overseas flights, hire vehicles, taxi services, lounge memberships, and deployment-related costs. The average cost per domestic trip during 2024-25 stood at $1,417, raising questions about value for taxpayer money.
Internal reviews had previously raised red flags about compliance issues. A June 2022 examination of travel cards identified instances where staff and managers were missing approvals and making "uneconomical purchases" outside mandatory government arrangements. A subsequent internal audit in 2023 confirmed "multiple instances of non-compliance by officials and approval delegates."
System Changes Create New Oversight Challenges
In response to these findings, ACIC implemented an updated travel approval system in April 2025. While the agency reports this has improved pre-approval compliance to 97 percent, the ANAO has warned that the new approach may have created oversight blind spots.
"While the new approval process has improved travel approval rates, it has diminished oversight of the actual bookings and the cost," the audit report stated. "ACIC should consider what other compliance or monitoring mechanisms it has in place and if these are sufficient to detect potential issues and non-compliance."
Agency Response and Broader Government Context
ACIC chief executive Heather Cook has agreed with the audit's recommendations to strengthen monitoring controls. The agency stated: "ACIC acknowledges the recommendations from the audit, and commits to strengthening its processes and procedures to implement a more effective framework in its current environment."
These findings emerge against a backdrop of increased scrutiny of government travel expenses. The entire federal government spent nearly $1 billion on travel during 2024-25, and travel patterns have come under fresh examination following an MP's expenses scandal in December.
An updated public service-wide travel policy is expected soon, including new rules on flight upgrades and status credits. The Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority has recently recommended restricting MPs' family travel to economy class when funded by taxpayers.
