Peter Dutton to take control of new super security portfolio

IMMIGRATION Minister is about to be given sweeping new security powers — and not all of his colleagues are cool with it.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is about to get sweeping new powers. Picture: AAP

PETER Dutton is set to become our national security supremo, heading up a super portfolio that will take in the Australian Federal Police, ASIO and the Border Force of the Immigration Department.

It will be Australia’s answer to other nations which have homeland security agencies, assuming the proposal gets through Cabinet untrimmed.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull returned from his visits to Europe and Britain more enthusiastic than ever before about the concept. And Mr Dutton has been encouraging him.

However, the move has been questioned by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Attorney-General George Brandis and Justice Minister Michael Keenan, who would have to surrender authority under the changes.

And there are significant legal questions over the exercise of various powers currently controlled by a range of ministers. ASIO, for example, serves the entire national security network but requires certain warrants issued by the Attorney-General.

An authoritative intelligence review report will be delivered this week by former diplomat and senior public servant Michael L’Estrange, but it is understood the national security super body is not among its recommendations.

One obstacle are the demands for independence by the individual agencies, and the argument that the network is working well already and doesn’t need centralisation.

AuPrime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been talking tough on national security today. Picture: AAP

Further, within the bureaucracy there is spirited debate over who should be the public servant running the proposed body.

Peter Dutton’s support for the concept could indicate he wants his Immigration Department chief, Mike Pezzullo, who provided the aggressive energy behind creation of Border Force.

Mr Dutton’s internal Liberal role as a conservative backing Mr Turnbull is seen as an indication he will get his way on the matter.

The possibility of a homeland security body has been the subject of speculation for most of this year with the official response from the Prime Minister’s office being there were no plans for one “at this stage”.

Mr Turnbull has been mulling it for some time and during his recent visit to Britain it returned to front of mind as the Prime Minister considered terrorist atrocities suffered by his hosts and advice to keep updating security mechanisms.

He said he was “always interested in learning about the British experience”.

‘This is no place for set and forget. We have to be dynamic, agile constantly asking can we improve the way our agencies are keeping Australians safe,” he said.

Previously he made clear in Parliament that preserving the status quo wasn’t the priority.

“We will not take an ‘if-it-ain’t-broke-we-won’t-fix-it’ mentality. This Government does not simply set and forget. We are at the forefront of efforts to address future threats,” he said.