Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1976

Legislation au C2004A01433 Not in force Act

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AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION ACT 1976

No. 2 of 1976

An Act to amend the Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1956-1973 in relation to the office of Director-General of Security, and with respect to certain formal matters.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title and citation.

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1976.

(2) The Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1956-1973 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

(3) The Principal Act, as amended by this Act, may be cited as the Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1956-1976.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

Definitions.

3. Section 2 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting after the definition of “employee'' the following definition:—

‘Judge’ means a Judge of a court created by the Parliament;

4. After section 6 of the Principal Act the following sections are inserted:

Appointment of a Judge as Director-General not to affect tenure, &c.

“6a. The appointment of a Judge as Director-General, or service of a Judge as Director-General, does not affect the tenure of his office as a Judge or his rank, title, status, precedence, salary, annual or other allowances or other rights or privileges as the holder of his office as a Judge and, for all purposes, his service as Director-General shall be taken to be service as the holder of his office as a Judge.

Remuneration and allowances of Director-General.

“6b. (1) If the Director-General is not a Judge, he shall be paid such remuneration as is determined by the Remuneration Tribunal and such allowances as are prescribed.

“(2) Sub-section (1) has effect subject to the Remuneration Tribunals Act 1973-1975.

“(3) If the Director-General is a Judge, other than Chief Judge of the Australian Industrial Court, and the rate per annum of his salary as a Judge is less than the rate per annum of the salary applicable to the Chief Judge of the Australian Industrial Court, he shall be paid additional sal­ary at a rate equal to the difference between the rates of those salaries, and, if the rate per annum of his annual allowance as a Judge is less than the rate per annum of the annual allowance applicable to the Chief Judge of the Australian Industrial Court, he shall be paid additional annual allowance at a rate equal to the difference between the rates of those annual allowances.

“(4) Where a Judge, not being the Chief Judge of the Australian Industrial Court, retires as a Judge or dies and, immediately before his retirement or death, he held office as Director-General, the Judges’ Pensions Act 1968-1974 applies to or in relation to him as if he had been Chief Judge of the Australian Industrial Court immediately before his retirement or death..

5. After section 15 of the Principal Act the following section is added:—

Regulations.

“16. The Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, for the purposes of section 6b of this Act..

Formal amendments.

6. The Principal Act is amended as set out in the Schedule.

 

________

 

 

SCHEDULE Section 6

FORMAL AMENDMENTS

1. The following provisions of the Principal Act are amended by omitting any number expressed in words that is used to identify a section of that Act or of another Act and substituting that number expressed in figures:

Sections 2 (definitions ofemployee or employee of the Organizationand officer or officer of the Organization’”), 7(2)(b), 11 and 13.

2. The following provisions of the Principal Act are amended by omitting the words “of this Act (wherever occurring):

Sections 2 (definitions of “‘employee’ or ‘employee of the Organization’” and “‘officer’ or ‘officer of the Organization’) and 7(2)(b).

3. The following provisions of the Principal Act are amended by omitting the word “Solicitor-General (wherever occurring) and substituting the words “Secretary to the Attorney-General’s Department”:

Sections 8 and 9.

4. The Principal Act is further amended as set out in the following table: —

Provision

Amendment

Section 4(1)..........

Omit “the sixteenth day of March, One thousand nine hundred and forty-nine”, Substitute “16 March 1949”.

Section 11...........

Omit “of this Act” (first and second occurring).

Omit “Public Service of the Commonwealth” (wherever occurring), substitute “Australian Public Service”.

 

Overview

The Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1976 was enacted by the Queen, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia to amend the Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1956-1973. This Act addresses certain formal matters and the office of the Director-General of Security. Its policy objective is to ensure that the appointment of a Judge as Director-General does not affect their tenure, rank, title, status, precedence, salary, allowances, or other rights and privileges as a Judge. This Act also provides for the remuneration and allowances of the Director-General, whether they are a Judge or not. Additionally, it includes provisions for the Governor-General to make regulations related to the remuneration and allowances of the Director-General. The Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1976 also contains formal amendments to the Principal Act, including changes to section numbers, the omission of certain words and phrases, and the substitution of others. These amendments aim to update and clarify the text of the Principal Act while maintaining its original intent and purpose. The Act came into operation on the day it received the Royal Assent.

Scope and Application

The Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1976 pertains to the governance and administration of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), particularly in relation to the office of the Director-General of Security. This Act applies to individuals who hold or have held the position of Director-General, including those who may be appointed as Judges, and entities or conduct associated with ASIO operations. It is a Commonwealth Act, thus it applies across the entire nation. The Act does not explicitly outline exclusions or exemptions, but it does address the remuneration and allowances of the Director-General, distinguishing between those who are Judges and those who are not. Additionally, the Act extends its application through subordinate instruments such as regulations made by the Governor-General under section 16, which are to be made for the purposes of section 6b concerning the remuneration and allowances of the Director-General. The Act’s provisions are intended to ensure that the Director-General’s tenure, rights, and privileges as a Judge are preserved regardless of their role within ASIO.

Key Provisions

The Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1976 (referred to as the "Act") amends the Australian Security Intelligence Organization Act 1956-1973 (the "Principal Act") with respect to the office of Director-General of Security and certain formal matters. The Act introduces amendments that primarily concern the appointment and remuneration of the Director-General, as well as formal changes to the Principal Act. Section 6a ensures that the appointment of a Judge as Director-General does not affect the Judge's tenure, rank, title, status, precedence, salary, annual or other allowances, or any other rights or privileges associated with their judicial office. Furthermore, Section 6b details the remuneration and allowances for the Director-General, specifying different payment structures based on whether the Director-General is a Judge or not. If the Director-General is not a Judge, their remuneration is determined by the Remuneration Tribunal, whereas if they are a Judge, they receive additional salary and allowances if their judicial salary and allowances are below those of the Chief Judge of the Australian Industrial Court. The Act also addresses the application of the Judges' Pensions Act 1968-1974 in the event of a Judge retiring or passing away while serving as Director-General. The obligations imposed by the Act on the relevant parties primarily revolve around the terms of appointment and remuneration for the Director-General. When a Judge is appointed as Director-General, they must continue to fulfill their judicial duties without any detriment to their judicial status. Additionally, the Remuneration Tribunal is responsible for determining the remuneration for the Director-General if they are not a Judge. For Judges appointed as Director-General, specific provisions ensure they receive appropriate salary and allowances, including any necessary adjustments to align with the remuneration of the Chief Judge of the Australian Industrial Court. The Act also mandates that the Governor-General may make regulations necessary to implement the provisions concerning the remuneration and allowances of the Director-General, as detailed in Section 6b. The Act does not explicitly state any offences or penalties for breaches of its provisions. However, the implications of non-compliance with the stipulated remuneration and allowances for the Director-General could potentially lead to legal challenges or disputes regarding the appropriate compensation and benefits. While the Act does not detail specific penalties, any failure to adhere to the outlined provisions could result in judicial review or other legal remedies to ensure compliance with the Act's requirements. The formal amendments and clarifications introduced by the Act aim to ensure that the Director-General's role is clearly defined and that their remuneration and status are appropriately maintained.

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Area of Law
National Security Law
Instrument
Amending Act
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Repeal & Amendment
Offence Provisions

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.