The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has commenced a review of the Intelligence Services Amendment Bill 2018.

The Intelligence Services Amendment Bill 2018 will improve and modernise the legislative framework that governs the use of force by the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) to address key operational challenges and issues. The Bill will do this by amending the Intelligence Services Act 2001 (IS Act) to:

a. enable the Minister to specify additional persons outside Australia who may be protected by an ASIS staff member or agent; and 

b. provide that an ASIS staff member or agent performing specified activities outside Australia will be able to use reasonable and necessary force in the performance of an ASIS function.