Department of Home Affairs | Departments/Agencies

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…

Home Affairs leaders know they must build staff morale, but see slight uplift ‘from a low base’

By Stephen Easton

Federal

Senior executives at the Department of Home Affairs know they need to do a lot of work to build morale and confidence in their leadership…

One cross-sector team prevails at the DHS cyberwar games, but everyone’s a winner

By Stephen Easton

Federal

Australians can have confidence that, in the event of a major cyber-attack, the Australian government and private organisations can work together effectively to stop hackers…

Government wants community input on cybersecurity strategy

By Shannon Jenkins

Communications & Technology

The public has until November to have their say on the development of a new national cybersecurity strategy. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton launched the consultation…

Senator questions AFP on intelligence officer raid

By Shannon Jenkins

Federal

Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick has called on the Australian Federal Police to explain whether a raid on the home of a spy agency officer…

PM asks APS to publish gift registers: News Corp achieves what the auditor-general could not

By Stephen Easton

Communications & Technology

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has decided Australian Public Service agencies should publish their lists of gifts and benefits.

Comcare charges Defence over serious workplace injuries; still faces calls to go after Home Affairs

By Stephen Easton

Federal

The Department of Defence faces three new charges over workplace health and safety breaches after an investigation by Comcare, but some lawyers continue to wonder…

Australia’s free speech failure, public servants in national debate

By James Mortensen

Editors' Picks

Following the High Court’s decision to allow a public servant’s dismissal over tweets criticising the country’s asylum seeker policy, Australia must reconsider the true roles…

Pezzullo says document-leaker was playing a forbidden 'Canberra game' and should ‘go to jail’

By Shannon Jenkins

Defence

Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo has argued the person who leaked a top secret document should go to jail, at the parliamentary inquiry into press…

Dutton directive gives journalists more breathing space, but not whistleblowers

By Denis Muller

Editors' Picks

In light of the ministerial direction issued to the Australian Federal Police by the Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on August 9, it would be…