Department of Home Affairs | Departments/Agencies

Feds plan to join up government using computer science, on the way to service delivery ‘Nirvana’

By Stephen Easton

Communications & Technology

The federal government wants to create whole-of-government information technology architecture to underpin its ambitious plans to improve service delivery.

Home Affairs has more important things to do than comply with the FOI Act: Michael Pezzullo

By Stephen Easton

Communications & Technology

Complying with the Freedom of Information Act is a second-order priority for the Minister and the Department of Home Affairs, according to secretary Michael Pezzullo,…

Complaint-handling linked to low morale: insider says Home Affairs is rife with ███████

By Stephen Easton

Federal

An angry insider links simmering discontent about promotions and deep distrust of senior executives in the Department of Home Affairs to the way internal complaints…

Spy agencies and universities develop foreign interference guidelines

By Shannon Jenkins

Education

The federal government has released guidelines to counter foreign interference in the Australian university sector. A collaboration between government, the university sector, and national security…

Public hearings into Home Affairs casino-corruption allegations on hold till further notice

By Stephen Easton

Federal

The Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity’s public hearings into an allegedly corrupt relationship between Crown casinos and parts of the Department of Home Affairs…

The leak that wasn’t: department admits ‘erroneous’ referral to federal police

By Stephen Easton

Communications & Technology

The Department of Home Affairs has issued an intriguing statement acknowledging it made an "erroneous" referral to the Australian Federal Police earlier this year. It…

A shot across the bow: Home Affairs under investigation for persistent breaches of FOI Act

By Stephen Easton

Federal

Information commissioner Angelene Falk has fired a warning shot at the Australian Public Service over transparency with the announcement that she is investigating the Department…

Home Affairs wants to stop credit card fraud

By Shannon Jenkins

Federal

The Department of Home Affairs is seeking an off-the-shelf solution to tackle credit card fraud. The department says it wants a solution that can help secure…

Home Affairs and Border Force executives to appear at ACLEI’s first public inquiry with former ABF chief Roman Quaedvlieg

By Stephen Easton

Federal

The Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity will hold its first-ever public hearings in 13 years as part of its inquiry into allegations of a…

No help from the helpline: ABC uncovers new ‘bureaucratic bungles’ in Hakeem Al-Araibi case

By Stephen Easton

Federal

The ABC has uncovered new details of how Australian authorities contributed to refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi almost being shipped back to his persecutors in the kingdom…

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Columnists

Cans of worms and what the Auditor-General is thinking of digging up next. The hints are there for the taking

By Verona Burgess

Features

The Australian National Audit Office’s annual work program gives departments and agencies the chance to fix problems before the auditors arrive. Not everyone takes the…

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Insights and analysis

Departmental media staff have an important job to do, but have been muzzled. Inside the public service, information spinners have stopped. Here’s how it happened

By Bernard Keane & Jennine Khalik

Engagement

Public affairs teams can range from a single person to massive teams of people. Their work and experience in government is very different to most…

Victoria sends identity data to national facial recognition system to stay ‘ahead of the pack’

By Stephen Easton

Communications & Technology

The Victorian government is uploading data from driver licenses to the federal government’s National Driver Licence Facial Recognition Solution but will only allow it to…

Ombudsman praises ‘compliance cultures’ but agencies still mishandle stored comms

By Shannon Jenkins

Communications & Technology

Intelligence agencies must verify the lawfulness of stored communications before handing them to investigators, according to the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman. In its most…

Achievement unlocked: PM gives two federal department heads another go

By Stephen Easton

Federal

Department of Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo and Attorney-General’s Department secretary Chris Moraitis have been reappointed to their respective roles. “I congratulate them both and…