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NSW Crime Commission chief becomes Canberra’s intelligence toecutter
Anti-organised crime czar Michael Barnes has been sent to Canberra to oversee ASIO, plus other things. The appointment has been made on eve of the Bondi royal commission.
The head of the most powerful and far-reaching crime agency in NSW has been picked to become the Commonwealth’s intelligence agency disciplinarian.
It’s a quiet changing of the guard on the eve of the commencement of the royal commission into the antisemitic mass murder shooting of 15 people at Bondi Beach in December.
Michael Barnes, who is presently the NSW crime commissioner, has been named by Commonwealth Attorney-General Michelle Rowland as the next inspector general of intelligence and security (IGIS), succeeding Christopher Jessup.
Barnes’ new appointment commences on April 7 and goes for five years.
Barnes’ selection for the Commonwealth’s intelligence services watchdog is a significant changing of the guard, as it represents the recruitment of state government talent into what is arguably Canberra’s most sensitive role.
The IGIS retains statutory standing investigative powers of spy agencies on par with those of a royal commission that include own-motion probes.
The IGIS is also charged with regular auditing and governance of intelligence services, including checking adherence to the limits on intrusive powers, such as surveillance warrants, and investigating complaints against the authorities it polices.
These include the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Australia’s foreign intelligence collection agency; the Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation; and offensive and defensive cyber operations carried out by the Australian Signals Directorate.
The IGIS oversight also extends to the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation, the Defence Intelligence Organisation, and the Office of National Intelligence, with the oversight agency’s boilerplate noting that the “the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021 expanded the IGIS’s jurisdiction to include oversight of the use of network activity warrants by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the Australian Federal Police.”
In the context of the Bondi atrocity, the appointment of an IGIS head with current state-based experience creates a bridge between jurisdictions that might otherwise retreat to disparate jurisdictional corners.
The NSW Crime Commission has been instrumental in seizing assets of major criminal interests, including unexplained wealth and alleged proceeds of crime, as part of its mission to disrupt major crime.
The NSW Crime Commission also retains so-called star chamber powers, similar to those of a royal commission, including the statutory compulsion of evidence.
“Barnes holds a bachelor of arts, bachelor of laws, and a master of laws. He has held the role of NSW crime commissioner since 2020, where he has been responsible for leading a multidisciplinary team of approximately 160 staff,” a statement from Rowland said.
“As commissioner, he was a member of the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Taskforce and the NSW State Security Group, which leads and coordinates NSW government strategic policy and intergovernmental arrangements on counter-terrorism and national security.”
“Prior to his current role, Mr Barnes was the NSW ombud (2017-2020), NSW state coroner (2014-2017), inaugural Queensland state coroner (2003-2013), head of the School of Justice at the Queensland University of Technology (2000-2003), and chief officer of the complaint section in the Queensland Criminal Justice Commission (1994-2000),” Barnes’ official rap sheet cites.
That’s a whole bunch of experience that could become operationally relevant as the royal commission unfolds.
“On behalf of the Albanese government, I congratulate Mr Barnes on his appointment as Australia’s next Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security. Mr Barnes brings extensive experience which will support the Office of the Inspector-General to continue its work providing robust oversight over the National Intelligence community,” the attorney-general said.
“I thank Dr Christopher Jessup for his distinguished service as inspector-general following his appointment in 2021.”
The head of the most powerful and far-reaching crime agency in NSW has been picked to become the Commonwealth’s intelligence agency disciplinarian.
It’s a quiet changing of the guard on the eve of the commencement of the royal commission into the antisemitic mass murder shooting of 15 people at Bondi Beach in December.
Michael Barnes, who is presently the NSW crime commissioner, has been named by Commonwealth Attorney-General Michelle Rowland as the next inspector general of intelligence and security (IGIS), succeeding Christopher Jessup.
Barnes’ new appointment commences on April 7 and goes for five years.
Barnes’ selection for the Commonwealth’s intelligence services watchdog is a significant changing of the guard, as it represents the recruitment of state government talent into what is arguably Canberra’s most sensitive role.
The IGIS retains statutory standing investigative powers of spy agencies on par with those of a royal commission that include own-motion probes.
The IGIS is also charged with regular auditing and governance of intelligence services, including checking adherence to the limits on intrusive powers, such as surveillance warrants, and investigating complaints against the authorities it polices.
These include the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Australia’s foreign intelligence collection agency; the Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation; and offensive and defensive cyber operations carried out by the Australian Signals Directorate.
The IGIS oversight also extends to the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation, the Defence Intelligence Organisation, and the Office of National Intelligence, with the oversight agency’s boilerplate noting that the “the Surveillance Legislation Amendment (Identify and Disrupt) Act 2021 expanded the IGIS’s jurisdiction to include oversight of the use of network activity warrants by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the Australian Federal Police.”
In the context of the Bondi atrocity, the appointment of an IGIS head with current state-based experience creates a bridge between jurisdictions that might otherwise retreat to disparate jurisdictional corners.
The NSW Crime Commission has been instrumental in seizing assets of major criminal interests, including unexplained wealth and alleged proceeds of crime, as part of its mission to disrupt major crime.
The NSW Crime Commission also retains so-called star chamber powers, similar to those of a royal commission, including the statutory compulsion of evidence.
“Barnes holds a bachelor of arts, bachelor of laws, and a master of laws. He has held the role of NSW crime commissioner since 2020, where he has been responsible for leading a multidisciplinary team of approximately 160 staff,” a statement from Rowland said.
“As commissioner, he was a member of the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Taskforce and the NSW State Security Group, which leads and coordinates NSW government strategic policy and intergovernmental arrangements on counter-terrorism and national security.”
“Prior to his current role, Mr Barnes was the NSW ombud (2017-2020), NSW state coroner (2014-2017), inaugural Queensland state coroner (2003-2013), head of the School of Justice at the Queensland University of Technology (2000-2003), and chief officer of the complaint section in the Queensland Criminal Justice Commission (1994-2000),” Barnes’ official rap sheet cites.
That’s a whole bunch of experience that could become operationally relevant as the royal commission unfolds.
“On behalf of the Albanese government, I congratulate Mr Barnes on his appointment as Australia’s next Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security. Mr Barnes brings extensive experience which will support the Office of the Inspector-General to continue its work providing robust oversight over the National Intelligence community,” the attorney-general said.
“I thank Dr Christopher Jessup for his distinguished service as inspector-general following his appointment in 2021.”
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