REVIEW INTO THE AFP’S RESPONSE TO AND MANAGEMENT OF SENSITIVE INVESTIGATIONS Mr John Lawler AM APM © Commonwealth of Australia 2020 Ownership of intellectual property rights in this publication Unless otherwise noted, copyright (and other intellectual property rights, if any) in this publication is owned by the Commonwealth of Australia. 2 REVIEW INTO THE AFP’S RESPONSE TO AND MANAGEMENT OF SENSITIVE INVESTIGATIONS CONTENTS Terms of reference . 7 Acknowledgments . 8 Executive summary . .9 Term of Reference 1 – Baselining of what constitutes a sensitive investigation............... 10 Term of Reference 2 – Articulation of the human resources, skills, training, technology and facilities required .................................................................11 Term of Reference 3 – Reformation of governance and business processes (including alternative mechanisms for referring entities beyond the AFP) ....................11 AFP governance ...................................................................11 Escalation model ..................................................................12 The Case Categorisation and Prioritisation Model ......................................12 Relevant external governance .......................................................13 Term of Reference 4 – Organisational structures ..........................................13 National Headquarters Command....................................................13 Counter Terrorism/Offshore and Sensitive Investigations................................14 Conclusion ..........................................................................15 Options . 16 Term of Reference 1 – Baselining of what constitutes a sensitive investigation................16 Term of Reference 2 – Articulation of the human resources, skills, training, technology and facilities required .................................................................16 Term of Reference 3 – Reformation of governance and business processes (including alternative mechanisms for referring entities beyond the AFP) ....................17 Term of Reference 4 – Organisational structures ..........................................19 Background . 20 Establishment . 23 Review methodology................................................................. 23 TERM OF REFERENCE 1 Baselining of what constitutes a sensitive investigation . 25 Investigations: identifying the scope ................................................... 25 What is ‘sensitive’? ..................................................................26 International ........................................................................29 So what should be the AFP’s definition of a sensitive investigation? .........................31 Proposed definition ............................................................... 32 REVIEW INTO THE AFP’S RESPONSE TO AND MANAGEMENT OF SENSITIVE INVESTIGATIONS 3 TERM OF REFERENCE 2 Articulation of the human resources, skills, training, technology and facilities required . 35. Human resources.................................................................... 35 Overview ........................................................................ 35 Culture .......................................................................... 37 Skills, knowledge & experience........................................................ 37 Security clearances ...............................................................38 Training, learning & development......................................................38 Chief Learning Officer portfolio .....................................................38 Investigations Standards and Practices ..............................................40 Technology and facilities ..............................................................41 Artificial intelligence ..............................................................42 TERM OF REFERENCE 3 Reformation of governance and business processes (including alternative mechanisms for referring entities beyond the AFP) . 43. Current governance and business process arrangements ................................. 43 General observations regarding governance ......................................... 43 Case Categorisation and Prioritisation Model.........................................44 Audit and risk .................................................................... 45 Future state......................................................................... 45 AFP governance .................................................................. 45 Case Categorisation and Prioritisation Model.........................................46 Centralised referral process – National Headquarters Command ........................46 Escalation model ....................................................................49 Establishment of a standing Senior Executive Group and the Chair’s regular briefings to the Commissioner ..............................................................50 Enhanced internal briefings to the Senior Executive Group ..............................51 The appointment of a Senior Investigating Officer......................................51 Advice of the referral and investigation to the Chief Counsel – AFP Legal................. 52 Early engagement with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions .............. 53 Regular engagement with the referring agency or entity ............................... 53 Advice to the Minister (subject to any agreement on Ministerial briefing arrangements).... 54 If involving journalists or media organisations, engagement with those entities as appropriate and likely through respective Chief Counsel . 55 Briefing regime...................................................................... 56 4 REVIEW INTO THE AFP’S RESPONSE TO AND MANAGEMENT OF SENSITIVE INVESTIGATIONS Alternative mechanisms for referring entities beyond the AFP ..............................57 Referral of Allegations of Unauthorised Disclosure Protocol between the Australian Public Service Secretaries Board and the Australian Federal Police (Protocol) ..............57 Raising stakeholder awareness..................................................... 58 Ministerial Direction to Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions .................. 58 Commissioner’s discretion to reject referrals ......................................... 59 Perspectives external to the AFP .................................................... 59 TERM OF REFERENCE 4 Organisational structures . .61 Organisational structures from an historical AFP perspective ...............................61 National Headquarters Command .....................................................62 Restructuring of the AFP Operations Coordination Centre under the National Headquarters Command ............................................................. 63 Counter Terrorism/Offshore and Sensitive Investigations amalgamation ....................64 Sensitive investigations escalation framework – establishment of a Senior Executive Group... 65 Potential legislative change on the horizon . .66 Commonwealth Integrity Commission ...............................................66 Public Interest Disclosure Scheme ..................................................66 Parliamentary privilege ............................................................66 Conclusion . .67 APPENDIX A: A compendium of diverse AFP sensitive investigations . 68 2012 – 2013: INTERPOL Red Notice – Chichakli . 68 2014 – 2018: Operation Niro ..........................................................69 2014 – ongoing: Operation Arew ......................................................69 2015 – 2018: Operation Okenite .......................................................70 2019 – ongoing: Operation Diependael..................................................71 2012 – 2019: Operation Corrina ........................................................71 2009 – 2011: Operations Amaranth/Elucidate ........................................... 72 2012 – 2015: Operation Portilla........................................................ 73 2018: Threats to a senior member of the Australian Public Service ......................... 73 2015 – 2017: Operation Alcos ......................................................... 74 2014 – 2016: Operation Zapala.........................................................75 2017: Operation Murray ...............................................................75 2018: Thai cave rescue ............................................................... 76 REVIEW INTO THE AFP’S RESPONSE TO AND MANAGEMENT OF SENSITIVE INVESTIGATIONS 5 APPENDIX B: Current AFP governance . .77 Terminology ........................................................................ 77 Model of an Investigation.......................................................... 77 Referral Processes – Public forms and procedures ....................................... 78 Examples of discrete processes ........................................................81 AFP Operations Coordination Centre and Operations Monitoring Centres ................ 83 Australian Capital Territory Policing (Outcome 2)...................................... 85 Professional Standards ............................................................ 87 Protection .......................................................................89 Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce .............................................. 93 Crime Operations – Offshore and Sensitive Investigations.............................