Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security

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The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) is the body responsible for oversight on Australia's six main intelligence agencies: the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service the Defence Signals Directorate, the Defence Intelligence Organisation, the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation and the Office of National Assessments.

1 History
2 Function and structure
- 2.1 Committee members (as at 23 June 2006)
3 See also
- 3.1 Intelligence agencies
- 3.2 Legislation
4 External links

[edit] History

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on ASIO, ASIS and DSD was appointed in March 2002 under the Intelligence Services Act 2001 to replace the former Parliamentary Joint Committee on ASIO (which was established in 1988) and the Joint Select Committee on the Intelligence Services. On 2 December 2005, the Committee changed its name to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS). The PJCIS's purview was expanded by the Government to include DIO, DIGO and ONA following the recommendations of the independent Flood Inquiry in July 2004.

[edit] Function and structure

The PJCIS's main function is administrative and expenditure review and oversight of ASIO, ASIS and DSD. The Committee can also review matters relating to the three agencies referred to them by Parliamentary Resolution, or by a request from the Minister responsible for the agency in question. The Committee does not review intelligence gathering or operational procedures or priorities, nor does it conduct inquiries into individual complaints about the activities of ASIO, ASIS or DSD.

The Committee comprises nine members: four from the Senate and five from the House of Representatives. Five members are from the Government (the Liberal and National parties) and four from the Opposition (the Australian Labor Party).