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Commonwealth act
This law is the foundational rulebook for Australia's national police force — the Australian Federal Police (AFP). It covers pretty much everything about how the AFP is set up, who's in it, what they can do, and how they're held accountable.
The AFP consists of:
The AFP's job is very broad:
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Direct links to the current provisions in Australian Federal Police Act 1979.
Zoe has indexed the source text for search and analysis. Use the official register for the original document and download formats.
View on official registerSourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
AFP members inherit a wide range of police powers, including:
Protective service officers specifically can:
The Act sets up a detailed internal system for handling conduct issues, divided into three tiers:
You have protections:
This Act applies not just in Australia, but overseas and in external territories — reflecting the AFP's international role.