A man from Sydney’s Northern Beaches has been charged for allegedly using inside information to win more than $5,500 by betting on five Australian of the Year award winners.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) claim the man, 47, who is from Collaroy, was given information by a Commonwealth employee when placing the bets between 2017 and 2021.

He allegedly received $7,542 from $1,767 worth of bets.

He has been charged with six counts of using inside information for betting purposes. If found guilty, he could face up to two years’ in prison.

AFP Commander Stephen Nutt said those who place bets using inside information were a key focus.

“Unlawful use of inside information undermines the integrity of events betting and disadvantages those who play by the rules,” he said.

“The misuse of official or privileged information also erodes public trust in our institutions.”

In 2021, the AFP began investigating following concerns by the National Australia Day Council that the name of that year’s winner, Grace Tame, had been leaked prior to the announcement.

At the time, the NADC said it had referred the suspicious irregularities, which had been on their radar “for a number of years”, to the national crime intelligence agency.

A spokesperson also added they had “spoken to authorities about having these markets shut down.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was the minister responsible for the NADC at the time of the incident, and called the allegations serious that needed investigating.

Commander Nutt said the AFP along with other agencies were “constantly on the lookout for suspicious activity on betting and other accounts and can act swiftly if criminal activity occurs”.

The man is expected to appear in Downing Centre Court on Tuesday.