The Department of Home Affairs is the Australian Government interior ministry with responsibilities for national security, law enforcement, emergency management, border control, immigration, refugees, citizenship, and multicultural affairs. The portfolio also includes federal agencies such as the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation subject to the passage of enabling legislations. The Home Affairs portfolio reports to the Minister for Home Affairs The Hon. Peter Dutton MP and is led by Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs Mike Pezzullo.
The Department was officially established on 20 December 2017 building on the former Department of Immigration and Border Protection and bringing policy responsibilities and agencies from the Attorney-General's Department, Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Department of Social Services. The Department of Home Affairs is seen as the Australian version of the United Kingdom's Home Office or the United States Department of Homeland Security.
Video Department of Home Affairs (Australia)
History
One of the seven inaugural Australian Public Service departments at the federation of Australia was the Department of Home Affairs (1901-16) with wide-ranging responsibilities for public works, elections, census, the public service, pensions, and inter-state relations. This followed by the Department of Home and Territories (1916-1928), the Department of Home Affairs (1928-32), the Department of the Interior (1932-39), the Department of the Interior (1939-72), the Department of Home Affairs (1977-80), and the Department of Home Affairs and Environment (1980-84). Prior to the formation of the current Department of Home Affairs, the Attorney-General's Department had responsibility for national security, law enforcement, emergency management as well as border protection alongside the various forms of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
The proposed establishment of the Department of Home Affairs was announced by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on 18 July 2017 to be headed by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton as the designated Minister for Home Affairs to bring together all national security, border control and law enforcement agencies of the government. The Department was officially stood up on the 20 December 2017 through a Administrative Arrangements Order.
The Department combines the national security, law enforcement and emergency management functions of the Attorney-General's Department, the transport security functions of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, the counterterrorism and cybersecurity functions of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the multicultural affairs functions of the Department of Social Services, and the entirety of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
Maps Department of Home Affairs (Australia)
Ministers
The ministers of the Home Affairs porfolio were announced on 19 December 2017 by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as:
- Minister for Home Affairs: Peter Dutton
- Minister for Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity: Angus Taylor
- Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs: Alan Tudge
- Assistant Minister for Home Affairs: Alex Hawke
Portfolio responsibilities
The Department is responsible for the following functions:
- National security policy and operations, including -
- Countering terrorism policy and coordination
- Countering foreign interference
- Countering violent extremism programs
- Law enforcement policy and operations
- Immigration and migration, including -
- border security
- entry, stay and departure arrangements for non-citizens
- customs and border control other than quarantine and inspection
- Multicultural affairs
- Transport security
- Cyber policy co-ordination
- Protective services at Commonwealth establishments and diplomatic and consular premises in Australia
- Critical infrastructure protection co-ordination
- Commonwealth emergency management
- Natural disaster relief, recovery and mitigation policy and financial assistance including payments to the States and Territories and the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment
Departmental functions
Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator
The Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator and the Centre for Counter-Terrorism Coordination within the Department of Home Affairs (formerly within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet) provides strategic advice and support to the Minister for Home Affairs and the Prime Minister on all aspects of counterterrorism and countering violent extremism policy and co-ordination across government. The Office was created after recommendations from the Review of Australia's Counter-Terrorism Machinery in 2015 in response to the 2014 Sydney hostage crisis. The Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator also serves as the Co-Chair and or Chair of the Australian and New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Joint Counter-Terrorism Board, with the Centre for Counter-Terrorism Coordination providing secretariat support to the Australian Counter-Terrorism Centre and the Australian and New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee. Along with the Deputy Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, the Centre for Counter-Terrorism Coordination is also composed of the International and Strategic Policy Branch, the Domestic Operations and Engagement Branch, and the Counter-Terrorism Policy Branch.
National Cyber Coordinator
The National Cyber Coordinator and the Cyber Security Policy Division within the Department of Home Affairs (formerly within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet) is responsible for cyber security policy and the implementation of the Australian Government Cyber Security Strategy. The National Cyber Coordinator also ensures effective partnerships between Commonwealth, state and territory governments, the private sector, non-governmental organisations, the research community and the international partners. The National Cyber Coordinator also works closely with the Australian Cyber Security Centre and the Australian Ambassador for Cyber Issues.
CERT Australia is the national computer emergency response team responsible for cybersecurity responses and providing cyber security advice and support to critical infrastructure and other systems of national interest. CERT Australia works closely with other Australian Government agencies, international CERTs, and the private sector. It is also a key element in the Australian Cyber Security Centre, sharing information and working closely with ASIO, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Signals Directorate, the Defence Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
Office of Transport Security
The Office of Transport Security is responsible for aviation security, air cargo security, maritime security, and various transport security operations.
Critical Infrastructure Centre
The Australian Government Critical Infrastructure Centre (CIC) is responsible for whole-of-government co-ordination of critical infrastructure protection and national security risk assessments and advice. It was established on 23 January 2017 originally within the Attorney-General's Department and brings together expertise and capability from across the Australian Government and functions in close consultation states and territory governments, regulators, and the private sector. The Centre also supports the Foreign Investment Review Board.
Crisis Coordination Centre
The Australian Government Crisis Coordination Centre (CCC) is an all-hazards co-ordination facility, which operates on a 24/7 basis, and supports the Australian Government Crisis Committee (AGCC) and the National Crisis Committee (NCC). The CCC provides whole-of-government all-hazards monitoring and situational awareness for domestic and international events and coordinates Australian Government responses to major domestic incidents. The Crisis Coordination Centre is managed by the Crisis Coordination Branch of Emergency Management Australia formerly within the Attorney-General's Department.
Departmental structure
- Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator
- International and Strategic Policy Branch
- Domestic Operations and Engagement Branch
- Counter-Terrorism Policy Branch
- National Cyber Coordinator
- Cyber Security Policy Branch
- Home Affairs Programmes Group
- Emergency Management Australia including the Crisis Coordination Centre
- Office of Transport Security
- Critical Infrastructure Centre
- Visa and Citizenship Services Group
- Visa and Citizenship Management Division
- Refugee and Humanitarian Visa Management Division
- Community Protection Division
- Visa Delivery Transformation Division
- Intelligence and Capability Group
- Intelligence Division
- Information and Communication Technology Division
- Major Capability Division
- Identity and Biometrics Division
- Corporate Group
- Corporate Services Division
- People Division
- Finance Division
- Legal Division
- Detention Services Division
- Children, Community and Settlement Services Division
- Health Services and Policy Division
- Policy Group
- Immigration and Citizenship Policy Division
- Traveller, Customs & Industry Policy Division
- National Security and Law Enforcement Division
- International Division
- Executive Group
- Strategic Policy and Planning Division
- Enterprise Strategy, Reform and Performance Division
- Executive Division
- Countering Violent Extremism Centre
- Integrity, Security and Assurance Division
Portfolio agencies
- Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
- Australian Federal Police
- Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
- Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre
- Australian Institute of Criminology
- Australian Border Force (including the Maritime Border Command, the National Border Targeting Centre and Operation Sovereign Borders)
See also
- Department of Home Affairs (1901-16)
- Department of Home and Territories (1916-1928)
- Department of Home Affairs (1928-32)
- Department of the Interior (1932-39)
- Department of the Interior (1939-72)
- Department of Home Affairs (1977-80)
- Department of Home Affairs and Environment (1980-84)
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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