Powers boost urged for intelligence committee
Federal Parliament’s Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security must
be granted broader powers to allow effective oversight on the nation’s
intelligence agencies, Federal Member for Tangney Dennis Jensen said
Sunday, in the wake of the Fitzgibbon scandal.
“The committee should really be investigating the reports that the Defence Department – or elements within that department – conducted an intelligence operation against Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon,” Dr Jensen said.
“With all due respect to the professionals involved, the investigation by Defence itself into allegations about its own department is really not sufficient. Its finding that there was no such operation is not very reassuring to the Australian public.
“And while I welcome the reported investigation into the affair by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, this matter just highlights the need to increase the powers of the parliamentary committee to make its own enquiries.”
Dr Jensen said the US Joint Intelligence Committee was a suitable model for its Australian equivalent, given its broad-ranging powers to access the most classified information from intelligence agencies.
“The Fitzgibbon affair highlights the need for strong oversight of intelligence agencies,” he added.
“If proven, the reports that Defence covertly launched an investigation into its own minister strikes at the heart of our democracy.
“The powers of our intelligence agencies are very specific, and such an investigation would be an abuse of those powers.
“For an intelligence agency to investigate a Federal Minister – and access his confidential files – without observing proper procedure is an attack on our democracy itself.”
Dr Jensen said similar powers should also be extended to Parliament’s Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.
“This is particularly true for the Defence sub-committee,” he added.
“They need unfettered access to classified information if they are to do their jobs effectively.”
“The committee should really be investigating the reports that the Defence Department – or elements within that department – conducted an intelligence operation against Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon,” Dr Jensen said.
“With all due respect to the professionals involved, the investigation by Defence itself into allegations about its own department is really not sufficient. Its finding that there was no such operation is not very reassuring to the Australian public.
“And while I welcome the reported investigation into the affair by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, this matter just highlights the need to increase the powers of the parliamentary committee to make its own enquiries.”
Dr Jensen said the US Joint Intelligence Committee was a suitable model for its Australian equivalent, given its broad-ranging powers to access the most classified information from intelligence agencies.
“The Fitzgibbon affair highlights the need for strong oversight of intelligence agencies,” he added.
“If proven, the reports that Defence covertly launched an investigation into its own minister strikes at the heart of our democracy.
“The powers of our intelligence agencies are very specific, and such an investigation would be an abuse of those powers.
“For an intelligence agency to investigate a Federal Minister – and access his confidential files – without observing proper procedure is an attack on our democracy itself.”
Dr Jensen said similar powers should also be extended to Parliament’s Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.
“This is particularly true for the Defence sub-committee,” he added.
“They need unfettered access to classified information if they are to do their jobs effectively.”
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