Chris Douglas
Chris Douglas served for 31 years with the AFP. He is the owner of Malkara Consulting, a consultancy firm that specialises in the provision of training and advice in relation to financial crime including money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption and bribery in Australia, Asia, and Africa. He is not affiliated with any political party. He may be contacted at Chris.douglas@malkaraconsulting.com.
Recent articles by Chris Douglas
18 November 2024
Australian regulators fail conflict of interest test
As reported in Pearls and Irritations on 11 November 2024, the ACCC executive members who had accepted membership to the QANTAS Chairman’s lounge should have divested themselves of that benefit before commencing the investigation into QANTAS or resigned. Following on from the ACCC issue, Australia at least at the Federal level, has a very serious issue involving gifts received by its regulatory agencies.
11 November 2024
ACCC executives accepted gift during QANTAS investigation
Revelations about Prime Minister Albanese’s free access to the exclusive lounges offered by QANTAS and Virgin Australia, has awoken the Australian public to the additional benefits politicians receive from these airlines. But the travel perks received by politicians is only part of the story. The greater risk to the integrity of Federal Government programmes arises from the acceptance of similar benefits offered by QANTAS or Virgin to highly paid public servants. Particularly senior executive staff who manage law enforcement and regulatory bodies.
22 May 2024
The symbiotic relationship between organised crime and money laundering in Australian real estate
Tranche 2 Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terror Financing Laws Protect Us All.
13 March 2024
Australian housing crisis: We need a Ben Chifley
Having a comfortable place to live is a human right. It is enshrined in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Australia has signed. But it is clear from todays housing crisis Australia has lost its way.
11 March 2024
Can Australia trust Glencore with the Great Artesian Basin?
If you watch a TV channel that airs commercial advertising (my preference is SBS) no doubt you would have seen the recent advertisement by Glencore. The ad advises the viewing public: The world needs natural resources to power our future. For 25 years Glencore has responsibly mined for metal and minerals that advance our everyday life that power our homes and businesses and are used to create almost everything around us from smart phones to electric cars to renewal energy for a low carbon future while becoming one of the worlds largest mining companies you probably never heard of. Glencore...
9 February 2024
Australian authorities breach UN Convention on rights of a child
Any Australian parent and grandparent would be aghast by the actions of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Victoria Police involving an investigation into a 13 year old autistic boy who was charged in 2022 with terrorism offences. The boy had an IQ of 71.
28 June 2023
AFP Commissioner has some explaining to do
Information provided to the Senate committee inquiring into inappropriate handling by PWC Australia of confidential tax information has revealed that AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw and former NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller and now PWC partner met in July 2022. We are told that the purpose of the meeting involved discussion around Fuller via PWC Australia undertaking a comprehensive independent review of the AFP's delivery of policing services to the ACT government. According to media reports, no minutes of the meeting between Kershaw and Fuller were made and the contract worth $750,000 was awarded without any tender being called.
18 June 2023
Is PWC Australia a criminal organisation?
Secrecy and the need to ensure natural justice for Peter Collins & other PWC Australia staff who received or used confidential information, prevents disclosure of the specific offences being investigated by the Australian Federal Police (AFP). But there will be no shortage of possible offences to investigate. They range from a breach of tax secrecy laws, making false or misleading statements, obtaining a financial advantage by deception, general dishonesty, to conspiracy to defraud the Commonwealth, and money laundering.
21 May 2023
FOI exposes RAAF Growler rip off
In March 2023, the Australian Defence Department confirmed the arrival of an F/A18G Growler aircraft to replace a similar aircraft which was destroyed in January 2018 while on a training exercise. It had flown less than 120 hours. The aircraft was powered by two General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofan engines. According to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), the aircraft sustained catastrophic damage following an uncontained engine failure that subsequently caused a fuel fire. While some aircraft and mission systems were recovered, the aircraft worth $120 million on purchase was a write off.
29 November 2022
Defence procurement is rotten to the core: Its time for a Royal Commission
While the Robodebt fiasco is important and warrants a full scale inquiry, it is minor compared to the shocking report outlined by the Government on defence projects. The question therefore begs: are there similar or worst stories hiding in the Department of Defence?