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Chapter 1

Introduction

Duty to examine annual reports

1.1        The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement (the committee) has a statutory duty to examine the annual report of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) under the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Act 2010 (the Act). Subsection 7(1) of the Act includes a specific requirement for the committee to report to Parliament on matters appearing in and arising out of the annual reports of the AFP.[1]

Report under consideration

1.2        The AFP Annual Report 2013-14 (annual report) was presented to the Minister for Justice, the Hon Michael Keenan MP, on 1 October 2014. It was tabled in the Senate on 27 October 2014[2] and in the House of Representatives on 30 October 2014.[3]

1.3        The committee's report into the annual report is divided into three substantive chapters.

1.4        Chapter 2 examines issues related to the AFP's performance against its Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), together with an examination of its financial statements and staffing profile.

1.5        Chapter 3 examines key law enforcement and accountability issues arising in 2013-14, including the AFP's internal complaint handling performance and issues arising from the Commonwealth Ombudsman's statutory responsibility to oversee aspects of the work of the AFP.

1.6        Chapter 4 contains an overview of recent changes to the oversight of the AFP by the committee, due to changes implemented by the government as part of an overhaul of national security arrangements.

Examination of the report

1.7        In examining the annual report, the committee held a public hearing at Parliament House, Canberra on 4 March 2015. The witnesses who appeared before the committee are listed in Appendix 1.

Acknowledgements

1.8        The committee acknowledges the cooperation of the AFP Commissioner, Andrew Colvin APM OAM, and other AFP officers who assisted the committee in conducting its examination.

1.9        The committee takes this opportunity to congratulate Commissioner Colvin, who was appointed Commissioner on 1 October 2014.[4]

1.10      The committee also wishes to thank the former Commissioner, Tony Negus APM, for his commitment and dedication to the AFP during his 32 years of service.

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