ASIO likely restored to A-G’s under Shorten
The Australian 12:00am April 12, 2019
Paul Maley
A Shorten-led government could reinstitute the now-defunct position of national security adviser and unpick the controversial Home Affairs Department by restoring ASIO to the care of the Attorney-General.
The opposition is said to be debating how best to arrange the nation’s national security architecture, which for the past decade has been in a near-constant state of change.
While national security is unlikely to be a policy area emphasised by Labor, a change of government could bring significant change in the way intelligence and federal law-enforcement communities are organised.
Officially, Labor is keeping its powder dry on possible changes until after May 18.
Opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus said a Labor government would review the home affairs portfolio, a national security mega-department created by then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as a means of appeasing right-wing kingmaker and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
Mr Dreyfus said the review would be to ensure the arrangements were “fit for purpose’’.
“Labor will always put the safety and security of Australians first and that is why Labor will always consult with our national security agencies and experts on the most effective administrative arrangements to help secure our nation,’’ Mr Dreyfus said.
Privately, however, there is debate within Labor about how to configure the national security arrangements.
“Some people want a national security adviser, some want home affairs as it is or some variation on it. There’s not a dominant perspective shared by Shorten,’’ a source familiar with the currents of argument told The Australian.
“Shorten has kept his cards pretty close to his chest.’’
Labor is said to be debating whether to revive the position of national security adviser, a role created in 2008 by Kevin Rudd and occupied by Duncan Lewis, now director-general of ASIO.
The job lapsed under Tony Abbott, and one of its main functions — to co-ordinate the activities of the intelligence community — is being performed by the newly minted Office of National Intelligence.
A Labor government could also remove ASIO from home affairs and restore it to its traditional home under the attorney-general’s portfolio.
ASIO and the Australian Federal Police, both of which are independent statutory agencies, are said to be deeply unhappy under the home affairs banner.