Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment 2023

# Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment 2023 ## What it does This law expands the power of Australia's spy agency (ASIO) to share intelligence information with other people and organisations beyond the strict limits that currently exist. It allows the Director-General of Security to pass on foreign intelligence to third parties if the Attorney-General approves it in writing, and those parties can then pass it on further and use it as they see fit. ## Why it matters The change loosens the rules around who can access sensitive intelligence information and what they can do with it. This could mean intelligence collected through phone taps, surveillance or other means gets shared more widely across government and potentially private organisations—expanding the circle of people with access to private communications data. ## Key details - **Who decides**: The Attorney-General must approve any sharing of intelligence in writing and can set conditions on how it's used - **Chain reaction**: Once information is shared to one person, that person can pass it on to others without needing fresh approval - **When it starts**: The law took effect immediately upon receiving Royal Assent (no waiting period) - **What changed**: Previous rules limited sharing to specific categories of people doing specific jobs; this removes those restrictions in favour of a case-by-case approval system

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