On 18 July 2017 the Prime Minister announced reforms to Australia's national security and intelligence arrangements. These reforms involved establishing a Department of Home Affairs and a Home Affairs Portfolio.
The Department of Home Affairs is a central policy agency, providing coordinated strategy and policy leadership for Australia's national and transport security, federal law enforcement, criminal justice, cyber security, border, immigration, multicultural affairs, emergency management and trade related functions.
The Department of Home Affairs includes the entirety of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. It also includes national security, emergency management and criminal justice functions from the Attorney-General's Department; the Office of Transport Security from the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development; multicultural affairs from the Department of Social Services; and the counter-terrorism coordination and cyber security policy functions from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Following the Prime Minister's cabinet reshuffle announced on 19 December 2017, the Department of Home Affairs, and the wider Portfolio, was established the following day, 20 December 2017.
In a media statement after being sworn in as the new Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon. Peter Dutton MP said the new portfolio was an opportunity to leverage the very best of Australia's world-class law enforcement and operational agencies.
"The scale and complexity of our challenges are increasing; exacerbated by the evolution of technology and the sophistication with which criminals and terrorists operate," Mr Dutton said.
"For us to ensure continued successful responses, we require coordination and cooperation across departments, agencies and strong central policy support.
"This is what Home Affairs will do – it will enhance cooperation and coordination on a more enduring basis into the future."
Representing the Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA), we had our first official engagement with the Department of Home Affairs executive yesterday, 21 December 2017.
We received reassurances that for at least the next two months, our contacts and reporting lines within the former Department of Immigration and Border Protection will remain unchanged.
FTA / APSA will continue close engagement with the departmental executives, its Secretary (Michael Pezzullo), Assistant Minister (Hon Alex Hawke) and Minister (Hon Peter Dutton) and will keep members up to date with the implications of functional changes and reforms as they are progressively updated in the first half of 2018.
Paul Zalai – FTA / APSA |
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