This report makes a case for the Commonwealth expanding its role in fighting organised crime, and provides the first detailed analysis of its recent anti-gangs initiatives.

Dr Connery presents an argument for the Commonwealth to take the lead in developing nation-wide capability in this area by enhancing the existing multi-jurisdictional coordination arrangements against organised crime, and providing a pool of funds to encourage all the states and territories to develop inter-operable information sharing, investigative and response abilities. The paper also recommends that the Council of Australian Governments review the mechanisms it uses to coordinate domestic security challenges, as these are becoming somewhat duplicative and could be simplified.

This paper is the inaugural report to come out of ASPI's Strategic Policing and Law Enforcement Program, headed by Dr Connery.