Summary

Responds to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security

by amending: the to: align the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation’s (ASIO) employment conditions with the Australian Public Service employment framework; modernise ASIO’s warrant-based intelligence collection powers; establish a framework for the conduct of authorised covert intelligence operations; clarify ASIO’s ability to cooperate with the private sector; and provide for certain breaches to be referred to law enforcement agencies for investigation; the to: enable the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) to collect intelligence on Australian persons involved in activities in relation to its operational security; enable ASIS to cooperate with ASIO without ministerial authorisation when undertaking certain intelligence collection activities; enable ASIS to train certain individuals in the use of weapons and self-defence techniques and provide for a limited exception of these in a controlled environment; extend immunity for actions taken in relation to overseas activities; clarify the authority of the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO) to provide assistance; and rename DIGO as the Australian Geospatial Intelligence Organisation and the Defence Signals Directorate as the Australian Signals Directorate; the and to create two new offences and update existing offences, and increase penalties, in relation to the protection of intelligence-related information; and 19 Acts to make consequential and technical amendments.