Summary

Amends the: Australian Security Intelligence Organisations Act 1979 to: provide the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) with additional security vetting and security clearance functions, including to make security clearance decisions for ASIO and non-ASIO personnel and conduct security vetting and assessment on an ongoing basis, to communicate with a sponsoring agency in relation to the ongoing suitability of a person to hold a security clearance, to furnish security clearance suitability assessments (SCSAs), and to assume responsibility for a security clearance granted to a person by another security vetting agency; enable ASIO and security clearance sponsors to share certain information; and provide for internal, independent and external merits review of ASIO’s SCSAs and security clearance decisions; Office of National Intelligence Act 2018 to enable the Office of National Intelligence to provide quality assurance, reporting, advice and assistance in relation to the highest-level of security clearances issued by the Commonwealth; Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 to enable security clearance decisions and SCSAs to be reviewed by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal; and Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 to update a cross reference.