David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 25 March 2011:

(1) How many cases of alleged corruption in the Government's aid program: (a) are currently being investigated; and (b) were investigated in each calendar year, from 2005 to 2010, including how many of these cases resulted in: (i) dismissal, (ii) a fine, (iii) demotion, and (iv) any other penalty being handed down.

(2)   For each calendar year, from 2005 to 2010, what sum of money was lost to corruption.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Foreign Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) (a) As of 25 March 2011 there were a total of 191 cases of alleged corruption in the Government's aid program currently being investigated.

(1) (b) In the calendar year 2005 a total of 25 cases of alleged, suspected or detected fraud were reported to AusAID and subsequently investigated. Of these, 4 cases are still currently under investigation with 21 cases requiring no further action.

In the calendar year 2006 a total of 56 cases of alleged, suspected or detected fraud were reported to AusAID and subsequently investigated. Of these, 8 cases are still currently under investigation, 43 cases require no further action and 5 cases were found not to have involved fraud against AusAID.

In the calendar year 2007 a total of 43 cases of alleged, suspected or detected fraud were reported to AusAID and subsequently investigated. Of these, 7 cases are still currently under investigation, 29 cases require no further action and 7 cases were found not to have involved fraud against AusAID.

In the calendar year 2008 a total of 66 cases of alleged, suspected or detected fraud were reported to AusAID and subsequently investigated. Of these, 24 cases are still currently under investigation, 23 cases require no further action and 19 cases were found not to have involved fraud against AusAID.

In the calendar year 2009 a total of 74 cases of alleged, suspected or detected fraud were reported to AusAID and subsequently investigated. Of these, 31 cases are still currently under investigation, 22 cases require no further action and 21 cases were found to be not fraud against AusAID.

In the calendar year 2010 a total of 125 cases of alleged, suspected or detected fraud were reported to AusAID and subsequently investigated. Of these, 90 cases are still currently under investigation, 11 cases require no further action and 24 cases were found not to have involved fraud against AusAID.

Please note that the year in which a case was reported to AusAID may not in all cases be the year that alleged, suspected or detected fraud occurred.

(1) (b) (i) to (1) (b) (iv) The following table represents the number of cases reported to AusAID in the calendar years 2005-2010 which include penalties being handed down.

(2) For cases reported to AusAID in the calendar year 2005 AUD $216,975 has been lost to suspected or detected fraud/corruption.

For cases reported to AusAID in the calendar year 2006 AUD $105,100 has been lost to suspected or detected fraud/corruption.

For cases reported to AusAID in the calendar year 2007 AUD $63,154 has been lost to suspected or detected fraud/corruption.

For cases reported to AusAID in the calendar year 2008 AUD $31,156 has been lost to suspected or detected fraud/corruption.

For cases reported to AusAID in the calendar year 2009 AUD $151,528 has been lost to suspected or detected fraud/corruption.

For cases reported to AusAID in the calendar year 2010 AUD $2,115 has been lost to suspected or detected fraud/corruption.

A number of cases remain under investigation as indicated in the response to question ( 1 ) (a) and are therefore not included in the losses reported above.