A junior Tax Office worker has been suspended without pay after allegedly using his public service position to feed classified data to organised crime syndicates, before a joint anti-corruption raid uncovered a stash of child abuse material.
The 32-year-old public servant was charged overnight following a covert probe codenamed Operation Esk-Jerboa, run jointly by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
Investigators allege that the Australian Public Service (APS) 4 worker leveraged his access as a public servant to pass sensitive information to organised crime figures seeking to evade law enforcement attention.
Following a search warrant executed at a residence in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, federal agents seized electronic devices including multiple mobile phones, allegedly uncovering a substantial repository of illicit files.
The man faces two corruption charges for the unlawful disclosure of information by a Commonwealth officer, carrying a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment.
He has also been hit with 17 child exploitation charges, two counts of possessing child abuse material and 15 counts of using a carriage service for child abuse material, each carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment.
Acting anti-corruption commissioner Kylie Kilgour said that although the child abuse material charges did not legally constitute corrupt conduct under the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act, the illicit files were exposed directly because of the corruption sweep.
AFP deputy commissioner Hilda Sirec said criminal syndicates routinely attempt to target public servants who hold key data access, regardless of their rank.
"We have long been aware of members and associates of organised crime groups trying to corrupt people with access to sensitive law enforcement information, so it's concerning when we identify alleged instances of this classified information being made available to them," Ms Sirec said.
ATO deputy commissioner Nicholas Shizas called the public servant's alleged conduct "despicable" and said it was a disservice to more than 20,000 dedicated Tax Office employees.
"Australians can be assured that the ATO remains unwavering in its commitment to identifying misconduct and ensuring there are serious consequences for those who betray the trust of the community," Mr Shizas said.
"The ATO has highly sophisticated and effective mechanisms in place to detect fraud and corruption and will continue to work with law enforcement and other government agencies to identify corruption or criminality and bring those individuals before the courts."
Since the anti-corruption commission began operations in July 2023, the commission has secured 12 convictions, and five other cases remain before the courts.
The suspended public servant was scheduled to appear in the Southport magistrates court on September 21, as Operation Esk-Jerboa continues.
Suspected corrupt conduct in the Commonwealth public sector can be reported to the anti-corruption commission online or by calling 1300 489 844. Any suspected criminal behaviour can be reported to the AFP online or via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
