A long time coming: the case for a white paper on Commonwealth law enforcement policy

This report argues that it’s time for the federal cabinet to take a coordinated and strategic look at its law enforcement responsibilities, starting with a review. Overview Strong international, technological, political and social forces are changing the criminal challenge to Australia. These forces mean that the Australian Government will to need to take a greater role in law enforcement in the future. It’s time for the federal cabinet to take a coordinated and strategic look at its law enforcement responsibilities, starting with a review of how today’s Commonwealth law enforcement system needs to adapt to the anticipated operating environment over the next 10–20 years. This paper puts the case for a law enforcement white paper process that would assemble the arguments and allow the federal cabinet to decide on what role it will take in this central policy area

Investing wisely: spending political capital on Australia’s criminal intelligence capabilities

Overview: This report examines a recent proposal to merge the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) and the CrimTrac Agency. There are two distinct—but not irreconcilable—views about this proposal. Reconciling these views will require detailed research about how a merged organisation would benefit all stakeholders—especially the frontline police and criminal intelligence operators in all the jurisdictions. But does the merger proposal actually address the right question? This report argues that a better way to view this problem is to ask how the Commonwealth can play a role as a steward for national criminal intelligence. Importantly, this question presents an opportunity for the Australian Justice Minister to give the federal Cabinet a chance to consider the Commonwealth’s role in law enforcement more holistically

Horizon scanning: bringing strategic insight to national security policymaking

The Australian Government has recently undertaken a number of concrete initiatives to enhance national security policy coordination. As of the date of publication of this paper, some have been implemented, such as the ‘All Hazards National Assessment’ on Australia’s near-term security challenges, and the coordinated national security budget.  Others, such as a national security capability plan, are still working towards maturity; while the progress towards the adoption of a risk-based approach to national security policy and planning remains unclear. Together, these new approaches to planning and prioritising will make important contributions towards establishing a comprehensive framework for national security policymaking in Australia