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Abbott Satisfied With Oversight Of Australian Intelligence Activities

Jan 18, 2014

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he is “satisfied” with the “robust” oversight of Australia’s intelligence activities.

Responding to President Obama’s announcement overnight of reforms to the rules governing the National Security Agency, Abbott said the US review “addresses the particular circumstances of the United States”.

“Australia has some of the strongest intelligence oversight arrangements in the world,” Abbott said, claiming it “strikes an appropriate balance between maintaining our security and protecting privacy.”

Text of media release from Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

United States Intelligence Review

In a statement on 17 January, President Obama announced the outcomes of the Administration’s review of US signals intelligence activities. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Abbott, Intelligence Tagged With: , ,

John Faulkner: Balancing Government Effectiveness With Oversight And Scrutiny

Sep 30, 2003

Senator John Faulkner has delivered a wide-ranging speech on Senate reform to The Sydney Institute.

Faulkner, the ALP Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, said the Senate had evolved into an effective house of review but the task now was to ensure that governments can carry out their electoral promises whilst maintaining oversight and scrutiny.

Transcript of Senator John Faulkner’s Address to the Sydney Institute on Senate Reform.

FaulknerLadies and Gentlemen, in June this year the Prime Minister announced his Government’s intention to reform the “deadlock provisions of the Constitution in section 57.”[1]

For Mr Howard constitutional reform is a newfound interest. For Labor, constitutional reform is a long held conviction, reforms not solely about the moment, reforms not solely about advantaging the Government in power. Unlike John Howard and the Liberal Party, Labor has been committed to restricting the powers of the Senate since Federation. [Read more…]

Filed Under: A.L.P., Parliamentary Reform, Senate Tagged With: , , , ,