Chapter 1Introduction
Committee’s duty to examine annual reports
1.1The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement (the committee) has a statutory duty to examine the annual report of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) pursuant to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Act 2010 (the Act).
1.2Paragraph 7(1)(f) of the Act provides that a specific function of the committee is to ‘examine each annual report on the AFP and report to the Parliament on any matter appearing in, or arising out of, any such annual report’.
1.3The duty of the committee to examine the annual reports of the AFP under the Act arises from an expectation that agencies which have been granted strong coercive powers, such as the AFP, should be subject to additional oversight.
1.4Paragraph 7(2)(g) of the Act precludes the committee from monitoring, reviewing, or reporting on the performance of the AFP of its functions under Part 5.3 of the Criminal Code, that is, the AFP’s counter-terrorism functions.
Examination of the annual report
1.5This report examines the AFP’s annual report for 2023–24. In order to examine the report, the committee held a public hearing in Canberra on 6 February 2025. The witnesses who appeared before the committee are listed at Appendix 1.
1.6Typically, the committee examines the annual report and canvasses a range of contemporary issues at the hearing. Matters that fall outside of the 2023–24 reporting period (1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024) have been included in this report where necessary for completeness.
Key background
Presentation of the annual report
1.7The AFP’s 2023–24 annual report was tabled out of sitting in the Senate on 28October2024 and tabled in the House of Representatives on 4November2024. The letter of transmittal indicates that the report was presented to the Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC, MP, on 16September2024.
AFP purpose and role
1.8The purpose of the AFP is ‘[a]s Australia’s national policing agency, we protect Australians and Australia’s interests’. The AFP’s mission is ‘to lead policing efforts to keep Australians and Australia’s interests safe’.
1.9The role of the AFP is set out in section 8 of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979 (the AFP Act). This includes the provision of police services in relation to:
the laws, property and interests of the Commonwealth.
the investigation of state offences which have a federal aspect.
the Australian Capital Territory, the Jervis Bay Territory and Australia’s external territories.
functions conferred by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Witness Protection Act 1994 and any complementary laws.
protective and custodial functions directed by the Minister.
assisting an Australian or foreign law enforcement, intelligence, security or government regulatory agency.
establishing peace, stability, and security in foreign countries.
assisting an international organisation or a non governmental organisation in relation to matters outside Australia; and
anything incidental or conducive to these functions.
AFP strategic direction and priorities
1.10The AFP is guided by a Ministerial Direction made under subsection 37(2) of the AFP Act.
1.11On 20 October 2023, the Attorney-General issued an updated Ministerial Direction which sets out priority areas of focus related to the protection of life, the protection of livelihoods and the protection of the Commonwealth.
1.12Also on 20 October 2023, the AFP Commissioner responded with a Statement of Intent which specified how the AFP manages the priorities set in the Ministerial Direction.
Acknowledgements
1.13The committee acknowledges the cooperation and assistance of the AFP Commissioner and other AFP officers who aided the committee in its inquiry.
Structure of this report
1.14This report contains two chapters:
this chapter provides key details about the inquiry and the background on the AFP’s functions and priorities.
Chapter 2 examines key issues relating to the AFP’s performance raised over the course of the inquiry and provides the committee’s view.