In mid-2017, the Federal Government announced the creation of the Department of Home Affairs, bringing together law enforcement, national and transport security, criminal justice, emergency management, multicultural affairs and border patrol, under a new portfolio. This saw the position of the Justice Minister, who was responsible for federal firearm issues as part of the Attorney-General’s Department, become obsolete.
The Home Affairs Department will encompass five operational agencies and bodies with which the SSAA regularly liaise. This includes the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Border Force and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre is also under the new portfolio, while the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Institute of Criminology are flagged to be moved to this department.
The SSAA-LA has written to the relevant Ministers in charge of the new department: Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton MP, Assistant Minister Alex Hawke MP and the Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity Angus Taylor MP. We have also contacted the new Attorney-General, Christian Porter, expressing our willingness to work productively with the new order.