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Accountability and Transparency; Annexes Comprehensive Review of the Legal Framework of the National Intelligence Community Volume 4 of 4: Accountability and Transparency; Annexes December 2019 Volume 4 Copyright Statement © Commonwealth of Australia 2020 ISBN: 978-1-921091-55-1 (Print) ISBN: 978-1-921091-56-8 (Online) With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0) (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Attribution This publication should be attributed as follows: Comprehensive Review of the Legal Framework of the National Intelligence Community by Mr Dennis Richardson AC Use of the Coat of Arms The terms under which the Coat of Arms can be used are detailed on the following website: https://pmc.gov.au/cca Other uses Enquiries regarding this document are welcome at: Attorney-General’s Department 3–5 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 Telephone: 02 6141 6666 Page 2 Volume 4 Table of contents—Volume 4 Table of contents—Volume 4 Table of contents—all volumes ........................................................................................ 5 Acronyms and abbreviations .......................................................................................... 11 Chapter 43 Open government and transparency .......................................................... 17 The evolving balance between secrecy and transparency in Australia .......................... 19 Key mechanisms that support transparency in Australia ................................................ 20 Transparency in like-minded countries ........................................................................... 30 Freedom of information .................................................................................................. 32 Privacy ........................................................................................................................... 45 Archives Act and the protection of intelligence information in Administrative Appeals Tribunal proceedings ...................................................................................................... 52 Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security evidence to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Information Commission ...................................................................... 58 Chapter 44 Australian Security Intelligence Organisation security assessments ..... 62 Part IV of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act ..................................... 64 Intelligence assessments by other National Intelligence Community agencies .............. 86 Chapter 45 Protection of national security information ............................................... 90 Protection of national security information in court proceedings .................................... 94 International comparisons ............................................................................................ 101 Issues and analysis ...................................................................................................... 105 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 122 Chapter 46 Implementation ........................................................................................... 125 Annex A List of consultation ........................................................................................ 126 Annex B Acts that have amended NIC legislation (11 September 2001 – 1 August 2019)................................................................................................................................ 135 Annex C Summary of amendments to legislation in the Terms of Reference .......... 161 Page 3 Table of contents—Volume 4 Volume 4 Annex D Chronology ..................................................................................................... 163 Page 4 Volume 4 Table of contents—all volumes Table of contents—all volumes Volume 1: Recommendations and Executive Summary; Foundations and Principles; Control, Coordination and Cooperation Chapter 1 Foreword Chapter 2 Methodology Chapter 3 Executive summary Chapter 4 List of recommendations Chapter 5 Why a Review? Chapter 6 Intelligence legislation in Australia Chapter 7 Foundational principles Chapter 8 Foreign and security intelligence Chapter 9 Onshore and offshore operations Chapter 10 Australian and non-Australian Chapter 11 Collection, assessment and open source Chapter 12 Security intelligence and law enforcement Chapter 13 Statutory authorities and the National Intelligence Community Chapter 14 Ministerial control of intelligence agencies Chapter 15 Coordination and cooperation Chapter 16 Offshore activities and foreign relations risks Chapter 17 A common legislative framework Volume 2: Authorisations, Immunities and Electronic Surveillance Chapter 18 Authorisations: Introduction and a double lock system Chapter 19 Authorisations—Key principles, warrants and ministerial authorisations Chapter 20 Class authorisations Chapter 21 Emergency authorisations Chapter 22 Authorisation of joint intelligence activities Chapter 23 Direct effects against Australians Chapter 24 Immunities Chapter 25 Classified case study Page 5 Table of contents—all volumes Volume 4 Chapter 26 Electronic surveillance—the case for reform Chapter 27 Electronic surveillance—a new Act Chapter 28 Electronic surveillance—warrants and authorisations Chapter 29 Electronic surveillance—apecific interception techniques Chapter 30 Electronic surveillance—use, disclosure and destruction of information Chapter 31 Electronic surveillance—oversight and accountability Chapter 32 Immediate reforms to the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act Volume 3: Information, Technology, Powers and Oversight Chapter 33 Information sharing Chapter 34 Reference information Chapter 35 Secrecy Chapter 36 Cyber security Chapter 37 Artificial intelligence Chapter 38 Threat reduction and disruption Chapter 39 Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission—specific issues Chapter 40 Oversight and the National Intelligence Community Chapter 41 Oversight: Independent oversight bodies Chapter 42 Oversight: Parliamentary committees Volume 4: Accountability and Transparency; Annexes Chapter 43 Open government and transparency Chapter 44 Australian Security Intelligence Organisation security assessments Chapter 45 Protection of national security information Chapter 46 Implementation Annex A List of consultation Annex B Acts that have amended NIC legislation (11 September 2001 – 1 August 2019) Annex C Summary of Amendments to Legislation in the Terms of Reference Annex D Chronology Page 6 Volume 4 Table of recommendations—Volume 4 Table of recommendations—Volume 4 Recommendation 184 ...................................................................................................... 35 ASIS, ASIO, ASD, DIO and ONI should continue to be exempt from the operation of the Freedom of Information Act. Recommendation 185 ...................................................................................................... 37 The Department Home Affairs, including its Intelligence Division, should remain subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Recommendation 186 ...................................................................................................... 39 The Freedom of Information Act should be amended to remove AGO’s exemption in respect of its non-intelligence function. Recommendation 187 ...................................................................................................... 42 The ACIC should remain subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Recommendation 188 ...................................................................................................... 44 In respect of AUSTRAC, consistent protections should be afforded to Suspicious Matter Reports and Suspicious Transaction Reports under the Freedom of Information Act. Recommendation 189 ...................................................................................................... 52 ASIO, ASIS, ASD, AGO, DIO and ACIC should be required, by legislation, to have legally- binding privacy guidelines or rules. These rules should be made public (except to the extent that those rules contain classified information). Recommendation 190 ...................................................................................................... 55 The identities of ASIO and ASIS staff members and agents should be protected from disclosure under the Archives Act. Recommendation 191 ...................................................................................................... 57 All security matters arising under the Archives Act should be heard in the Security Division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Recommendation 192 ...................................................................................................... 61 The Freedom of Information Act and Archives Act should be amended so that the IGIS is only required to provide evidence that addresses the damage that would, or could reasonably be expected to, arise from the release of material where the matter involves one or more of the agencies that the IGIS oversees. Page 7 Table of recommendations—Volume 4 Volume 4 Recommendation 193 ...................................................................................................... 73 The definition of ‘prescribed administrative action’ in the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act should be amended
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