Patterns of transactions within Australia's financial system that tried to conceal what these networks wanted to purchase were flagged by Austrac as recently as the last financial year.

There has been a three-fold increase in banks notifying the financial watchdog of potentially criminal transactions - including for child exploitation and terrorism - over the past five years.

Almost 310,000 of these suspicious matter reports were made to Austrac in the past financial year.

This includes a more than ten-fold increase of suspicious reports relating to money laundering.

Child exploitation and related material made up the largest proportion of the watchdog's intelligence reports.

One investigation into online child sexual abuse led to the rescue of three children and the arrest of one woman in the Philippines last year after analysis of money transfers from Australian citizens.

The watchdog was part of investigations that resulted in the arrest of six people who allegedly made fraudulent claims against the National Disability Insurance Agency.

More than $2 million of assets were seized as a part of this investigation.

It also contributed to investigations into 23 million breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism laws by Westpac which resulted in a $1.3 billion fine.

There were more than 2.17 million cash transfers over $10,000 that triggered a threshold transaction report in the past financial year.

Australian Associated Press