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How new super security ministry will work

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has decided to bring Australia's border and domestic security agencies under the one umbrella.

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Source: AAP


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AUSTRALIA'S NEW SUPER HOME AFFAIRS MINISTRY

* Brings together Australia's border and domestic security agencies.

* These include domestic spy agency ASIO, Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC and the Office of Transport Security.

* The new ministry will be similar to the United Kingdom's Home Office arrangements, as opposed to the much bigger Homeland Security model in the United States.

* Immigration Minister Peter Dutton will be given the top job.

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* The home affairs minister will have two ministers reporting to him on security and immigration: the attorney-general and the justice minister.

* The attorney-general will retain his role in relation to issuing warrants and ministerial authorisations.

* His department will be responsible for oversight, with the portfolio to take in the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor and the Commonwealth Ombudsman

* A new Office of National Intelligence will also be established, headed by a Director of National Intelligence.

* The Australian Signals Directorate, which collects and analyses foreign intelligence, will become a statutory agency within Defence.

* The changes are expected to be rolled out by June 30, 2018.

Source: Australian government


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