Let’s be clear — fraud is not a reflection of a charity’s values.
Australian charities operate in a position of significant trust. They safeguard public funds, deliver essential services and support some of the most vulnerable members of the community.
At the same time, many operate in complex, high-trust environments with limited resources. In doing so, they may find these conditions can both increase exposure to fraud and contribute to any misconduct harder to detect than in many parts of the private sector.
A sector built on trust — and exposed by it
Charities face a unique convergence of risk factors that can elevate both the likelihood of fraud and the difficulty of detection, including:
