A 30-year police veteran who played a key role in the 2002 Bali bombing investigation will head a new crackdown on transnational, serious and organised crime.
Karl Kent will take on the role of Commonwealth Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime Co-ordinator within the Department of Home Affairs.
Mr Kent, who has served with the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police, will also oversee the $70 million Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation.
He received an Order of Australia Medal for his work on the investigation into the Bali bombings in 2002, co-ordinating the forensic investigation and victim identification.
He also led the Australian victim identification team in Thailand after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said up to 70 per cent of serious and organised crime threats were based offshore or have strong offshore links, requiring greater co-ordination between all law enforcement agencies.
Angus Taylor, the minister for law enforcement, said the levels of sophistication among transnational criminals was unprecedented.
"It's borderless, it's better organised, it's better at deploying technology than ever before" Mr Taylor told reporters.
"So that means we have to be more sophisticated, we have to be better organised, we have to be more focused and co-ordinated."
AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin said organised crime cost Australia at least $36 billion a year.
Mr Kent said he would develop a new strategy to deal with serious and organised crime and examine possible law changes to help battle the threat.
He said he had witnessed the impact of serious and organised crimes on Australian communities, and observed the increasing challenges law enforcement faced in tackling those responsible.
"Whether it be the scourge of drugs, not only in our cities but in our regional communities, and the harm that causes to young people, to their families and to the community in general," he told reporters.
"Whether it be child sex exploitation and the enormous victim impact that has on young children for the rest of their lives, and their respective families. These are the most serious harms caused in our community."
