Complaints that IGIS can investigate

The IGIS can investigate complaints received concerning all agencies of the Australian Intelligence Community (AIC) that is, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) and Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO). Issues can be raised with the Inspector-General about Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) and the Office of National Assessments (ONA) but there is no formal right to complain.

The IGIS can investigate any matter pertaining to the legality or propriety of all of the activities conducted by any of the AIC member organisations.  This means, generally, that the IGIS can investigate complaints about an agency’s compliance with the laws of the Commonwealth and the States and Territories, or directions or guidelines provided to that agency by the responsible minister.  This also extends to the propriety of particular activities of the agencies.

The IGIS can investigate matters pertaining to staff grievance processes in these agencies.  The IGIS can also investigate matters arising from a specific staff grievance though he would not usually do so before all of the available staff redress of grievance processes have been utilised.