Australian Federal Police accused of downplaying threats to undercover officers

Allegations presented in the Australian Senate suggest that the Australian Federal Police (AFP) deliberately downplayed the security threats facing three undercover officers to reduce potential compensation costs. A former AFP assistant commissioner reportedly confirmed to the agents that a direction “at the highest level” within the force was issued to minimize the perceived seriousness of the danger.

The officers had spent years infiltrating global organized crime syndicates. When their identities were compromised, they requested overseas relocation for themselves and their families. However, an initial assessment of an “expected threat” was downgraded to a “possible” threat without a change in circumstances, and the AFP denied their requests for relocation.

Greens justice spokesman Senator David Shoebridge accused the AFP and the Albanese Government of abandoning the officers, who remain in hiding due to fear of retribution. The decision to downgrade the threat level has sparked a professional standards criminal investigation into the conduct of the police decision-makers.