Personal information of participants in Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIA) may have been shared with the analytics platform Palantir as part of a national program to detect fraud, according to a report by Guardian Australia. The report revealed that while the NDIA denied using Palantir’s software directly, it has shared data with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), which has used Palantir as part of the Fraud Fusion Taskforce. This taskforce, launched in 2022, involves 25 government agencies and is led by the NDIA and Services Australia. The ACIC operates the Fraud Fusion Centre, which gathers and analyzes large volumes of data from participating agencies to detect potential fraud. Palantir’s software is designed to map relationships and analyze data patterns, and the ACIC has spent millions on contracts with the company in recent years. A data scientist, Gabrielle Josling, attempted to obtain information about whether data from the Fraud Fusion Taskforce was being fed into Palantir’s system through a freedom of information request. An official from the ACIC expressed hesitation, citing the large volume of data involved in such transfers. The NDIA confirmed it shares participant data with the taskforce only when there is suspicion of criminal activity, stating it is done on a restricted basis to protect participants from fraud. The ACIC added that its use of analytical tools is in line with agreements made with the agencies that provide the data. Critics have raised concerns about the use of Palantir in this context. Tom Sulston, from Digital Rights Watch, described the involvement of Palantir in assessing fraud in the NDIS as “very concerning,” emphasizing that people with disabilities should not be treated as suspects for accessing essential services. Greens senator David Shoebridge called Palantir a “global surveillance vampire,” arguing that funneling NDIS participants’ data into the company’s system under the pretense of fraud prevention is a “deep betrayal” of trust. He noted that participants expect their personal information to be protected, not shared with private firms. Palantir responded by stating that its software helps organizations make better decisions and solve complex problems. The company said it is committed to supporting Australian government agencies in tackling financial crime and fraud. Meanwhile, Coles, a major Australian supermarket chain, has decided not to renew its contract with Palantir beyond 2027, having previously used the company’s software for operations such as staff scheduling and supply chain management.