Strengthened oversight of intelligence agencies welcome
28 November 2025
The Law Council of Australia welcomes the introduction of measures that will strengthen the oversight of the nation’s intelligence community.
“Australia’s national intelligence community play an essential role in detecting and responding to complex and evolving threats,” Law Council of Australia President, Juliana Warner said.
“All of our national security is improved when there is greater and justified public trust in our intelligence agencies.
“Where intelligence agencies are empowered to act in secret, it is vitally important that there are robust and effective oversight mechanisms in place to ensure that all intrusive powers are exercised with propriety and in accordance with the law.
“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.
“Therefore, we welcome the passage of the Strengthening Oversight of the National Intelligence Community Bill 2025 through Parliament.”
The Bill significantly and appropriately expands the oversight functions of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS).
“These are vital institutions that hold intelligence agencies to account. This consolidation of oversight promotes a framework that can ensure the balance between individual rights and national security is maintained,” Ms Warner said.
“The Law Council supports the amendments introduced by the Government which reflect recommendations stemming from the PJCIS inquiry process.
“While the amendments did not go quite as far as the Law Council had hoped, the legislation nevertheless represents a substantial improvement to the oversight framework and highlights the valuable role of the PJCIS in the parliamentary scrutiny process.
“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.”
Contact: Kristen Connell | 0400 054 227 | kristen.connell@lawcouncil.au
Last Updated on 30/11/2025