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Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Bill 2026
216Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Bill 2026 No. , 2026
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216 Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Bill 2026 No. , 2026
(i) the Aviation Transport Security Act 2004 or regulations1
under that Act;2
(ii) the Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security3
Act 2003 or regulations under that Act;4
(iii) an Act prescribed by the rules for the purposes of5
subparagraph 210(2)(a)(iii) or (b)(iii), or a legislative6
instrument under that Act.7
(2) Despite subsection (1), the ACIC must give a criminal intelligence8
assessment, that is not an adverse criminal intelligence assessment,9
in respect of a person to a Commonwealth agency for purposes10
mentioned in subsection (1) if the criminal intelligence assessment11
is made in accordance with subsection 211(6).12
Note: The Director-General may arrange for the use of a computer program13
to give certain kinds of criminal intelligence assessments to14
Commonwealth agencies: see section 215.15
Adverse criminal intelligence assessments16
(3) The Director-General may cause an adverse criminal intelligence17
assessment in respect of a person to be given to a Commonwealth18
agency for purposes related to:19
(a) a firearms background check of the person; or20
(b) a background check of the person that is required or21
permitted by any of the following:22
(i) the Aviation Transport Security Act 2004 or regulations23
under that Act;24
(ii) the Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security25
Act 2003 or regulations under that Act;26
(iii) an Act prescribed by the rules for the purposes of27
subparagraph 210(2)(a)(iii) or (b)(iii), or a legislative28
instrument under that Act.29
(4) If the Director-General considers that giving a Commonwealth30
agency an adverse criminal intelligence assessment in respect of a31
person would prejudice law enforcement or intelligence interests or32
security, the Director-General may decide not to cause the33
assessment to be given to the agency.34
No. , 2026 Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission Bill 2026 217
(5) An adverse criminal intelligence assessment given to a1
Commonwealth agency under subsection (3) must be accompanied2
by:3
(a) a statement of the grounds for the assessment (which is taken4
to be part of the assessment); and5
(b) if, under subsection (7), the Director-General makes a6
certificate in relation to information contained in the7
assessment—a copy of the certificate.8
(6) The statement of the grounds for the adverse criminal intelligence9
assessment must contain all information that the ACIC relied on in10
making the assessment, other than:11
(a) subject to subsection (8), information in relation to which the12
Director-General has made a certificate under subsection (7);13
and14
(b) information the disclosure of which would be contrary to a15
law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory.16
Certification of prejudicial information17
(7) The Director-General may certify, in writing, that the18
Director-General is satisfied that disclosing particular information19
contained in an adverse criminal intelligence assessment, including20
particular information contained in the statement of the grounds for21
the assessment, to the person in respect of whom the assessment22
was made would prejudice law enforcement or intelligence23
interests or security.24
(8) If the Director-General makes a certificate under subsection (7) in25
relation to information, the Director-General may decide not to26
cause the information to be given to a Commonwealth agency27
under subsection (3) or (5). However, the Minister may, after28
consulting the Director-General, direct the Director-General to29
cause the information to be given to the Commonwealth agency.30
Certificates and written directions not legislative instruments31
(9) A certificate made under subsection (7) is not a legislative32
instrument.33