Dutton to lead Home Affairs super portfolio

The federal government has announced a sweeping restructure of Australia’s national intelligence and security arrangements with the establishment of a new Home Affairs super portfolio.

The Home Affairs portfolio will be modelled after the UK’s Home Office, bringing together ASIO, the AFP, Border Force, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, AUSTRAC and the Office of Transport Security.

It will act as a central department providing strategic planning, coordination and support to these agencies.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton will take over the new portfolio once the changes are finalised by the end of this financial year.

The Attorney-General will transfer oversight of ASIO to the new portfolio but will continue to be the issuer of warrants under the ASIO Act and ministerial authorisations under the Intelligence Services act.

Despite this change, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that the reforms will also be used to strengthen the Attorney-General’s oversight of Australia’s intelligence community. The Attorney-General’s portfolio will incorporate the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor and the Commonwealth Ombudsman.

The government has also announced plans to establish an Office of National Intelligence, to be headed by a Director of National Intelligence. The Australian Signals Directorate will also be transformed into a new statutory agency as part of the Defence portfolio.

“Australia faces an increasingly complex security environment, evolving threats from terrorism and organised crime, and the development of new and emerging technologies, including encryption,” Turnbull said in a statement announcing the reforms.

He said Australian intelligence and law enforcement agencies have foiled 12 imminent terrorist attacks since September 2014.

“However, the government believes that the evolving and complex threats to Australia’s security require more enduring and better integrated intelligence and domestic security arrangements,” he said.

“We have accepted the recommendations of the Australian Intelligence Community review as a sound basis to reform Australia’s intelligence arrangements.”

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