About us

The National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) is a non-operational arm of the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The NMPCC was established in 2006 to drive national coordination in response to missing persons in Australia, and to complement the investigative role of state and territory police. Its mandate is to reduce the incidence and impact of missing persons in Australia and as a function of the AFP, the NMPCC is funded by the Federal Government.

The vision of the NMPCC is for an informed Australian community united in its efforts to reduce the incidence and impact of missing persons in Australia. The NMPCC works in partnership with state and territory police services, Commonwealth and state government agencies, non-government agencies, and families and friends of missing persons.

Primary goals of the NMPCC are to:

  • Enhance prevention and education around missing persons through an improved advertising campaign, greater community interaction, the development of preventative strategies and a greater involvement with 'at risk groups'.
  • Enhance the current networks by establishing new relationships with broader government and non-government agencies on missing persons.
  • Establish communication mechanisms across the national missing persons sector which will provide an avenue for both government and non-government agencies to be kept informed of initiatives and relevant issues within missing persons. 
  • National Missing Persons Unit

    In May 1995, the Hon. Duncan Kerr, Minister for Justice, identified the need for the development of a comprehensive national response to the problem and tragedy of missing persons. This included the establishment of a National Missing Persons Bureau which would:

    • Concentrate on outstanding missing persons and circulate missing persons profiles within Australia and overseas.
    • Use Interpol and/or the Australian Federal Police’s overseas network to follow up leads, emphasise the search for missing children, and record foreign nationals missing in Australia.
    • Raise public awareness of the problem of missing persons.

    The Minister also announced Commonwealth funding to be administered by the Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence (ABCI) to establish the Bureau. The formation of the National Missing Persons Unit (NMPU) was a key component of the Government's Safer Australia strategy.

    In July 2003 the NMPU was re-located to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The operation of the NMPU continued until 2006.

     

    National Missing Persons Coordination Centre 

    The Report of the Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Immigration Detention of Cornelia Rau, conducted by former Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mr Palmer (the Palmer Report) and released in July 2005, contained a series of recommendations relevant to missing persons.

    Following the release of the report, the Prime Minister wrote to all Premiers and Chief Ministers seeking their cooperation to implement those recommendations.

    In 2006, the Australian Government agreed to enhance the national coordination of missing persons issues by establishing the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) which absorbed the existing NMPU. The unit was renamed the NMPCC to better reflect its primary role of coordinating a more effective response to the issue of missing persons within the Australian context. Through additional funding the Australian Government cemented its commitment to missing persons and their families.

  • Our mandate is to reduce the incidence and impact of missing persons in Australia. We do this by:

    • Raising awareness and educating the community on the issues and impacts of missing persons in Australia.
    • Strengthening cooperative arrangements between state and territory police, government, and non-government agencies.
    • Driving national coordination, policy, and best practice in Australia’s response to missing persons in Australia.
    • Managing the Australian missing persons website and Public Register at missingpersons.gov.au.
    • Driving and commissioning national research, to identify trends and issues associated with missing persons.
    • Profiling long-term missing persons through program initiatives and corporate partnerships.
    • Developing support packages for families and friends of missing persons.
    • Through the Global Missing Children’s Network, contributing to international efforts to drive and respond to global missing persons issues and matters of Australian significance.

    Work undertaken by the NMPCC falls under the national missing persons PLEASE policy framework of:

    • Prevention
    • Location
    • Education
    • Awareness
    • Support
    • Evaluation
  • The Police Consultative Group on Missing Persons (PCGMP) was established in 1995. As the national coordinating body for missing persons in Australia, the NMPCC is a conduit between state and territory police and federal government agencies, and international organisations. Through INTERPOL Canberra, the AFP is also a conduit between Australian and foreign law enforcement agencies. One of our primary programs of work includes the Police Consultative Group on Missing Persons (PCGMP).

    The NMPCC chairs (and funds) the bi-annual meeting of the PCGMP, which brings together the AFP and all state and territory missing persons units (or equivalent). Meetings are held twice a year and provide an opportunity to share information and build relationships between state and territory partners. The aim of the PCGMP is to develop, maintain, and review national policy and procedures in relation to missing persons in Australia. The PCGMP also provides a national forum to deal with issues and trends specific to missing persons, and to ensure a consistent approach and response from police and search agencies across the country.

  • The NMPCC represents the missing persons sector on a number of national and international committees and boards, including:


    As a representative on such boards, the NMPCC is able to guide and influence policy, procedures, and frameworks to benefit the law enforcement and community outcomes for missing persons in Australia.