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🏛 House of Representatives3 readingsAmendments circulated
National Security Legislation Amendment (Comprehensive Review and Other Measures No. 3) 2023
✦ Plain-English Summary
# National Security Legislation Amendment (Comprehensive Review and Other Measures No. 3) 2023
## What it does
This bill updates how Australia's intelligence agencies (mainly ASIO) operate and protects their staff and sources. It makes practical changes to how security assessments work—like when checking someone for a job in sensitive areas—and sets clearer rules for when and how spies can operate undercover or conduct surveillance.
## Why it matters
These changes affect anyone who might need a security clearance for government or defence work, and they shape how much oversight exists over what intelligence agencies actually do. The bill also tries to better protect the identities of spies and informants, which could influence how openly security decisions get explained to the public.
## Key details
- **Security assessments get more flexible timelines**: Instead of strict deadlines, agencies can now delay assessments in certain situations—useful when information takes time to gather, but means decisions affecting your job or firearm licence could take longer.
- **Better protection for spies and informants**: The bill tightens rules around what information can be publicly disclosed about intelligence work and who's involved, making it harder for someone to figure out who's undercover or informing on others.
- **Clarifies who approves what**: Junior ministers can't approve major intelligence operations anymore—only senior Attorney-Generals can. This adds a layer of oversight but could slow decisions down.
Official Description
Amends the: Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 in relation to: the framework for security assessments; and security vetting and security clearance related activities; Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 , Intelligence Services Act 2001 and 10 other Acts in relation to: the protection of the identities of Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Australian Signals Directorate and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation staff; and the protection of intelligence information and documents; and Intelligence Services Act 2001 , Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 and Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 in relation to authorisation processes for certain intelligence activities.
Committee Referrals
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security; Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills
Audit History
Last updated on APH
10 Apr 2026
Last checked by Crossbench
yesterday
Full text indexed
yesterday
🗳️No formal division recorded
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