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The Parliament of the
Commonwealth of Australia
THE SENATE
Presented and read a first time
Defence Capability Assurance and Oversight Bill 2023
No. , 2023
(Senator Fawcett)
Contents
Part 1—Preliminary 1
1............ Short title............................................................................................ 1
2............ Commencement.................................................................................. 2
3............ Objects of this Act.............................................................................. 2
4............ Simplified outline of this Act............................................................. 3
5............ Definitions.......................................................................................... 4
6............ Act binds the Crown........................................................................... 6
7............ Extension to external Territories........................................................ 7
8............ Extra-territorial application................................................................ 7
Part 2—Defence Capability Assurance Agency 8
Division 1—Introduction 8
9............ Simplified outline of this Part............................................................ 8
Division 2—Establishment and functions 10
10.......... Establishment................................................................................... 10
11.......... Functions.......................................................................................... 10
12.......... Powers.............................................................................................. 12
13.......... Defence Capability Assurance Agency does not have privileges and immunities of the Crown 12
14.......... Access to information, premises and materiel.................................. 13
15.......... General directions............................................................................. 13
16.......... Providing reports and advice to project staff and decision-makers.. 13
17.......... Reporting to the Defence Minister and National Security Committee of the Cabinet 14
18.......... Reporting to the Committee............................................................. 14
19.......... Industry partner................................................................................ 15
Division 3—Director of the Defence Capability Assurance Agency 16
20.......... Director............................................................................................. 16
21.......... Functions of the Director.................................................................. 16
22.......... Director to act in accordance with directions of Board.................... 16
23.......... Appointment..................................................................................... 17
24.......... Acting appointment.......................................................................... 17
25.......... Terms and conditions....................................................................... 18
26.......... Remuneration................................................................................... 18
27.......... Leave of absence.............................................................................. 18
28.......... Other paid work................................................................................ 19
29.......... Resignation....................................................................................... 19
30.......... Termination of appointment............................................................. 19
Division 4—Board of the Defence Capability Assurance Agency 21
Subdivision A—Establishment and functions of the Board 21
31.......... Establishment of the Board.............................................................. 21
32.......... Functions of the Board..................................................................... 21
Subdivision B—Board members 21
33.......... Membership...................................................................................... 21
34.......... Appointment..................................................................................... 22
35.......... Acting appointments......................................................................... 23
36.......... Terms and conditions....................................................................... 24
37.......... Remuneration................................................................................... 24
38.......... Leave of absence.............................................................................. 24
39.......... Other paid work................................................................................ 25
40.......... Resignation....................................................................................... 25
41.......... Termination of appointment............................................................. 25
Subdivision C—Meetings of the Board 26
42.......... Convening meetings......................................................................... 26
43.......... Presiding at meetings........................................................................ 26
44.......... Quorum............................................................................................. 26
45.......... Voting at meetings............................................................................ 27
46.......... Conduct of meetings......................................................................... 27
47.......... Minutes............................................................................................. 27
48.......... Decisions without meetings.............................................................. 27
Division 5—Staff, contractors and other persons assisting 29
49.......... Permanent staff................................................................................. 29
50.......... Contractors....................................................................................... 29
51 .......... Other persons assisting the Defence Capability Assurance Agency on a shorter-term basis 29
Division 6 — Other matters 30
52.......... Requirement to be cleared for security purposes............................. 30
53.......... Defence Capability Assurance Agency must comply with defence regulatory framework 30
54.......... Delegation by Director..................................................................... 30
Part 3—Inspector-General of Defence Capability Assurance 32
Division 1—Introduction 32
55.......... Simplified outline of this Part.......................................................... 32
Division 2—Establishment and functions 33
56.......... Inspector-General............................................................................. 33
57.......... Functions of the Inspector-General.................................................. 34
Division 3—Inquiries 36
58.......... Conduct of inquiries......................................................................... 36
59.......... Power to obtain information and documents.................................... 37
60.......... Entry to premises occupied by a monitored agency......................... 39
61.......... Security of monitored agency documents........................................ 39
62.......... Reporting of inquiry findings by the Inspector-General.................. 39
Division 4—Administrative provisions relating to the Inspector-General 41
63.......... Appointment of the Inspector-General............................................. 41
64.......... Acting appointments......................................................................... 41
65.......... Remuneration................................................................................... 42
66.......... Leave of absence.............................................................................. 42
67.......... Other paid work................................................................................ 42
68.......... Other terms and conditions............................................................... 43
69.......... Resignation....................................................................................... 43
70.......... Termination of appointment............................................................. 43
Division 5—Staff 45
71.......... Staff.................................................................................................. 45
72.......... Staff must be cleared for security purposes...................................... 45
Part 4—Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence 46
Division 1—Introduction 46
73.......... Simplified outline of this Part.......................................................... 46
Division 2—Establishment and functions of Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence 47
74.......... Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence..................................... 47
75.......... Functions of the Committee............................................................. 47
76.......... Persons to brief the Committee........................................................ 48
77.......... Annual report.................................................................................... 48
Division 3—Procedure 49
78.......... Power to obtain information and documents (other than from defence agencies) 49
79.......... Provision of information to Committee by defence agencies.......... 49
80.......... Certificates by Defence Minister...................................................... 50
81.......... Evidence........................................................................................... 52
82.......... Publication of evidence or contents of documents........................... 52
83.......... Restrictions on disclosure to Parliament.......................................... 53
84.......... Continuance of evidence.................................................................. 54
Division 4—Offences 55
85.......... Offences relating to disclosing or publishing certain evidence or documents 55
86.......... Offences relating to giving evidence or producing documents........ 56
87.......... Protection of witnesses..................................................................... 57
88.......... Secrecy............................................................................................. 58
89.......... Prosecution of offences.................................................................... 58
Division 5—Administration 59
90.......... Appointment of members................................................................. 59
91.......... Terms of office of Committee members.......................................... 59
92.......... Chair of the Committee.................................................................... 60
93.......... Deputy Chair of the Committee....................................................... 60
94.......... Meetings........................................................................................... 61
95.......... Quorum............................................................................................. 62
96.......... Voting at meetings............................................................................ 62
97.......... Proceedings...................................................................................... 63
98.......... Staff of the Committee and staff of Committee members must be cleared for security purposes 63
99.......... Protection of information and documents........................................ 63
Division 6—Subcommittees 64
100........ Subcommittees................................................................................. 64
101........ Term of office................................................................................... 64
102........ Operation of subcommittees............................................................. 64
103........ Application of provisions of Part to subcommittees........................ 64
Part 5—Miscellaneous 66
104........ Simplified outline of this Part.......................................................... 66
105........ Protection from liability................................................................... 66
106........ Rules................................................................................................. 66
A Bill for an Act to establish the Defence Capability Assurance Agency, the Inspector-General of Defence Capability Assurance and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence, and for related purposes
The Parliament of Australia enacts: