Australians rightly expect that the agencies keeping us safe also operate within clear rules and robust checks. Getting that balance right—between security and accountability—is essential to protecting our nation’s safety and our democratic values.
This month, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) tabled its report on the review of the Strengthening Oversight of the National Intelligence Community Bill 2025, also known as the SONIC Bill.
The bill represents the most significant reform to intelligence oversight in Australia since the Hope Royal Commissions of the 1970s and 1980s, which established the modern framework for accountability in our national intelligence system. The SONIC Bill builds on that legacy, ensuring Australia’s oversight structures evolve alongside the rapidly changing security landscape.
Under the bill, the PJCIS and Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) will gain oversight of all 10 agencies of the National Intelligence Community (NIC), the collective of agencies that gather, analyse and act on intelligence to keep Australians safe. This includes the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the intelligence functions of the Australian Transaction Report and Analysis Centre, the Australian Federal Police and the Department of Home Affairs.
For the first time, the entire NIC will operate under a consistent, specialised oversight framework. This will ensure that all agencies, regardless of size or function, will be subject to expert scrutiny. The bill also expands the power of the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM) to launch investigations on its own initiative, strengthening coordination between the three oversight bodies and improving the flow of information between them.
Australia faces an increasingly complex and unpredictable security environment. The threats we face come from diverse sources—ranging from individuals to state-sponsored actors—and are more dynamic than ever before. To keep Australians safe, our intelligence and security agencies must have the powers necessary to detect, disrupt and respond to these threats. Many of these powers are necessarily covert and extend beyond what is ordinarily entrusted to government.
That is why robust oversight is so important. It ensures intelligence agencies can act decisively while remaining subject to checks that protect citizens’ rights, operating in a way that is transparent, proportionate and accountable. Strong oversight gives Australians confidence that when intelligence powers are used, they are used for the right reasons and in the right way. Effective and holistic oversight is therefore critical to maintaining public trust and confidence in the NIC. In Australia, this is delivered through the complementary work of IGIS, INSLM and the PJCIS.
For the PJCIS, the bill provides statutory recognition to the committee’s role in reviewing counterterrorism and national security laws, including the ability to review proposed or expiring legislation on its own initiative or at the request of the minister or Parliament. Importantly, it also empowers the committee to request that the IGIS inquire into specific operational activities of intelligence agencies, with a requirement for a formal response once the inquiry is complete.
Beyond expanding oversight, the SONIC Bill modernises the Intelligence Services Act 2001 through practical amendments to improve how the PJCIS operates. The committee has proposed allowing the chair and deputy chair to nominate a member of their personal staff for security clearance. This recommendation recognises the increased workload and responsibilities placed on these roles, as well as the sensitive nature of the committee’s work. This reform ensures critical parliamentary oversight is properly supported.
A hallmark of the PJCIS has always been its bipartisan approach. Oversight of intelligence should rise above partisanship, and Australia’s tradition of cross-party cooperation in this area is one of our system’s greatest strengths. Similar to developments in Britain and Canada, the SONIC Bill ensures Australia’s oversight arrangements reflect international best practice.
By strengthening collaboration between the PJCIS, IGIS and INSLM, the SONIC Bill ensures oversight is coordinated, informed and responsive. It represents a major step forward in how Australia oversees its intelligence community, reinforcing the democratic safeguards that underpin public trust in our national security agencies.
Ultimately, intelligence oversight is about ensuring power is always matched with accountability. As technology evolves and threats continue to shift, maintaining this balance between capability and transparency will remain essential. The SONIC Bill marks a new era in intelligence oversight—one that is modern, comprehensive and robust.