National Security Policy Branch
National Security Policy Branch has three sections, as outlined below.
Community Security Section
The Community Security Section coordinates and provides strategic policy advice on a wide range of national security issues for the Attorney-General, Minister for Home Affairs, Deputy Secretary National Security and Criminal Justice and the First Assistant Secretary Security and Critical Infrastructure. We identify and respond to gaps in domestic national security policy, particularly ways of working with communities to strengthen our national security framework.
The Section also runs the fortnightly National Security Group meeting, chaired by the National Security and Criminal Justice Group Deputy Secretary.
Federal Security Collaboration Section
The Federal Security Collaboration Section is responsible for a wide range of coordination and collaboration functions related to national security, with a view to ensuring that decision-making in high level groups and committees is informed by input from a range of sources.
The Section provides secretariat, policy and coordination support to the National Spatial and Information Management Working Group and the Australian Government Spatial Information for National Security Working Group, and progresses a number of spatial information projects and capabilities within AGD and on behalf of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee.
The Section is also responsible for policy directions, Steering Committee support and project management for the Wireless Priority Service System (WPSS) project. This project aims to deliver priority access to the mobile telephone network by senior decision-makers and emergency responders in the event of network congestion in a crisis situation. This project is part of the Government Communications During a Crisis program.
NSC and Cross Border Security Section
The NSC and Cross Border Security Section helps implement measures to strengthen national security in Australia.
The Section facilitates the Attorney-General's role as a core member of the National Security Committee of Cabinet (NSC). The NSC considers strategic developments and major issues of medium to long-term relevance to Australia's national security interests and is chaired by the Prime Minister. The Section also fulfils the liaison officer role for the Secretaries’ Committee on National Security (SCNS). SCNS supports the NSC by reviewing, discussing and recommending that certain draft Cabinet documents be sent to the NSC for approval. SCNS is comprised of the heads of agencies engaged in national security issues, and is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
The Section works with a wide range of Government departments and agencies on cross border security issues, particularly aviation and maritime initiatives. The Section advises on Australia's obligations under international treaties relating to national security, and in particular aviation security. The Section also provides legal and policy support for the Air Security Officer Program. This program allows Australian Federal Police air security officers to be deployed to resolve security incidents on domestic and international flights and ensure the safety of Australian airways. The Section facilitates this program by:
- providing legal policy on aspects of domestic and international deployments, and
- negotiating international arrangements to govern international deployments and diversion situations.