The Department of Internal Affairs says it is developing a technology platform so that reporting entities under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 can submit their annual reports entirely online.

In its latest newsletter AML/CFT News, the department says this will replace the process used in previous years where a manual PDF had to be completed and emailed through to it.

The department's current guidance for submitting an annual report requires a PDF form to be downloaded and respondents are asked to type their answers onto the form.

All reporting entities - including lawyers - must submit an annual AML/CFT report. Reports for the 2018/2019 period are due at any time between 1 July and 31 August 2019.

The department says compliance officers will be sent more information in the next couple of months about what to expect from the new technology platform.

Claims from service providers

The newsletter also says the department does not endorse private sector AML services - consultancies, auditors or technologies.

"We are aware of some technology service providers claiming that we endorse or approve their technology platforms. This is not true. Please be mindful of selecting products or services that claim they are 'DIA approved' or 'endorsed'," it says.