It was described as "the most significant reform to intelligence oversight in decades"
Parliament has passed the Strengthening Oversight of the National Intelligence Community Bill 2025, which bolsters the supervisory functions of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS).
These bodies will now oversee all 10 National Intelligence Community agencies, including the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, the Australian Federal Police and the Department of Home Affairs. Under the bill, the National Intelligence Community’s powers to identify, thwart and respond to threats will be subject to checks and balances. The bill modifies the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 and Intelligence Services Act 2001.
The PJCIS may now evaluate proposed counter-terrorism and national security legislation, and all similar expiring laws. Moreover, the PJCIS may ask the IGIS to conduct inquiries into the operational activities of agencies under IGIS.
The bill also clarifies legislation which enables the PJCIS to request a briefing from the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM) and outlines the IGIS’ complaints jurisdiction.
The IGIS and the Office of National Intelligence will be required to present annual briefings to the PJCIS under the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986 and Office of National Intelligence Act 2018. Moreover, the IGIS must provide annual briefings to the Parliamentary Joint Committee under the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Act 2010.
The review and access of ACIC criminal intelligence assessment records would be modified under the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975. Defence officials and others can be exempted from civil and criminal liability in certain computer-related conduct.
The bill also enables the INSLM to evaluate counter-terrorism or national security legislation under the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010. Fifteen Acts will see consequential changes.
The Strengthening Oversight of the National Intelligence Community Bill 2025 was developed in accordance with recommendations made in past independent reviews of the intelligence community.
The attorney-general’s office described the bill as “most significant reform to intelligence oversight in decades”.
“Australians deserve to have confidence that intelligence agencies are exercising their powers lawfully and responsibly. This legislation reinforces that confidence. These reforms strengthen the safeguards that sit at the heart of Australia’s national security architecture and ensure our oversight framework is fit for the modern era”, attorney-general Michelle Rowland said.
The Law Council of Australia lauded the bill’s passage, although president Juliana Warner noted that the bill could have gone further.
“All of our national security is improved when there is greater and justified public trust in our intelligence agencies”, Warner said. “Public trust requires a robust, fit-for-purpose oversight framework. One that reflects the reality of modern intelligence functions, and that ensures agencies act responsibly and lawfully”.
The Strengthening Oversight of the National Intelligence Community Bill 2025 improved the oversight framework significantly and emphasised the PJCIS’ role in the parliamentary scrutiny process, she added.
“Overall, we see the measures contained in the Bill as a strong recognition of the critical role that oversight bodies play in ensuring compliance with the law and propriety in exercising the important, but necessarily clandestine, functions undertaken by our national intelligence community”, Warner said.
