Protecting the Public Purse: Preventing Payment Fraud Through Trust, Technology and Data

Government payment fraud in Australia is increasingly being driven by sophisticated, technology-enabled and organised criminal activity, rather than opportunistic individual misuse. The Australian Institute of Criminology estimates that serious and organised crime cost Australia up to $82.3 billion in 2023–24, with public sector agencies spending a further $10.8 billion on prevention and response. Within this broader threat environment, payment systems delivering essential services are increasingly attractive targets due to their scale, complexity and inherent exposure to identity and eligibility-based fraud.

According to industry analysis, including insights from the Splunk report Preventing Government Payment Fraud, agencies are recognising that traditional post-payment detection approaches are no longer sufficient in addressing fast-evolving, technology-enabled fraud threats, reinforcing the need for more proactive, intelligence-led and preventative models of payment integrity.

This webinar will explore how government organisations can modernise payment systems, connect intelligence across fraud, cyber and operational functions, and apply advanced analytics to identify risks earlier. Through practical insights from government and industry leaders, attendees will examine strategies for building more resilient, trusted and proactive approaches to protecting public funds.

Key discussion points

• Shifting from detection to prevention: Designing payment systems and controls that identify and stop high-risk transactions before funds leave the system.
• Treating payment fraud as a strategic risk: Understanding the intersection between fraud, cyber security, financial crime and organisational resilience.
• Breaking down data silos: Connecting fraud, identity, cyber and payment intelligence to create a more complete view of risk and emerging threats.
• Using AI responsibly to strengthen payment integrity: Leveraging analytics and machine learning to improve prevention while maintaining transparency, governance and accountability.
• Building trust through modern payment infrastructure: Modernising processes and operating models to enhance integrity, efficiency and public confidence.

Who should attend

This session is designed for senior public sector leaders responsible for safeguarding public funds, managing cyber/financial crime risk, and modernising payment and integrity functions — particularly those accountable for compliance outcomes and operational resilience.