Vic agencies using analytics to fight corruption

Victorian state government agencies are exploring the use of technologies such as data analytics to help better prevent and prevent corruption, according to a review from the state’s anti-corruption commission, IBAC.

The review into the integrity frameworks of 38 state government agencies found an increasing awareness of the value of data analytics to detect potential corrupt conduct.

Some agencies have already adopted innovative uses for analytics to detect suspected fraud and corruption, the report states.

Examples include using analytics to mine expenses data for unusual and suspect transactions, identifying early warning signs of potential integrity breaches, understanding trends associated with high-risk issues, and monitoring the effectiveness of anti-corruption controls.

Some agencies are looking into using analytics to analyse electronically captured declarations of conflict of interest and private interest

“To use data analytics most effectively, agencies need to have identified their areas of highest risk and collect information in a way that facilitates analysis,” the report states.

A number of agencies also have IT controls in place to manage risk associated with the corrupt misuse of information or material, such as access controls, password protections such as regular password resets, and processes to maintain audit trails for log-ins and access attempts.

The review also identified a number of ways the public sector could better detect and prevent corruption, such as developing interactive training processes for staff and integrity-related performance measures.

IBAC CEO Alistair Maclean said the review aims to help the broader public sector identify opportunities to improve their systems, processes and controls to prevent corrupt conduct.

“We encourage Victorian state government agencies to use the findings of this review to assess their own integrity frameworks and identify where they can improve,” he said.

“Developing cultures of integrity and frameworks to prevent corruption must be a continuing focus for every state government agency. This review found some agencies have adopted innovative approaches using data analytics to detect potential corruption. That’s an area other agencies may be able to learn from.”

Image courtesy IBAC

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