Australian Government: Attorney-General's Department
Australian Government: Attorney-General's DepartmentAchieving a Just and Secure Society

Counter-terrorism committees

Australian Government Coordination

National Security Committee of Cabinet (NSC)

At the political level, the Prime Minister chairs the NSC, the focal point of decision making on national security. It considers strategic developments and major issues of medium- to long-term relevance to Australia's national security interests. In a security crisis it would meet as often as needed.

The committee consists of the:

Other ministers are seconded to the NSC when specific issues relevant to their portfolios are being addressed. Senior officials also attend the meetings: the secretaries of the departments of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Chief of the Defence Force and the directors-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Office of National Assessments. Other secretaries and the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police may be called upon to attend, when needed.

Secretaries Committee on National Security (SCNS)

Supporting the NSC is the Secretaries Committee on National Security, comprising the heads of agencies engaged in national security issues, and chaired by the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Dr Peter Shergold AM.

National Crisis Committee (NCC)

National Crisis Committee (NCC), chaired by a senior official from PMC, would be convened in a terrorist incident to coordinate information exchange within the Australian Government and with the States and Territories, and to support the SCNS and the NSC.

Australian Government Counter-Terrorism Policy Committee (AGCTPC)

Within the Australian Government, the Australian Government Counter-Terrorism Policy Committee (AGCTPC) was created in September 2002 to provide an opportunity for senior level policy coordination on counter-terrorism issues. The committee meets every two months, which ensures a regular senior executive forum in which to develop the whole of government approach to Australia 's counter-terrorism arrangements. The AGCTPC is chaired by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet at Deputy Secretary level and includes representatives from a broad range of Commonwealth agencies that have an interest in counter-terrorism issues. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet provides AGCTPC with executive and secretariat support.

Australian Government Counter-Terrorism Committee (AGCTC)

Australian Government Counter-Terrorism Committee (AGCTC), chaired by the Protective Security Coordination Centre (PSCC), shares relevant information among member agencies and reviews the level of national counter-terrorism alert.

The Australian Government Counter-Terrorism Committee (AGCTC) provides the forum at officials' level for the development of whole of government advice in relation to counter-terrorism arrangements. The AGCTC meets monthly to exchange information, consider counter-terrorism and dignitary protection policy issues, the threat from terrorism and determine the level of national counter-terrorism alert in Australia . The Committee is chaired by the Director of the PSCC and includes representatives from Australian Government security, law enforcement, intelligence and emergency service departments and agencies. The PSCC provides executive and secretariat support for the Committee.

Inter-jurisdictional arrangements

Council of Australian Governments (COAG)

Council of Australian Governments (COAG), chaired by the Prime Minister and comprising the Premiers and Chief Ministers from each State and Territory and the President of the Australian Local Government Association, is Australia’s peak intergovernmental forum. COAG’s role is to increase cooperation among governments in the national interest, including in relation to counter-terrorism.

National Counter-Terrorism Committee (NCTC)

The National Counter-Terrorism Committee (NCTC) was established by the Inter-Governmental Agreement 24 October signed by the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers on 24 October 2002, and held its first meeting on 13-15 November 2002. Prior to this, the Standing Advisory Committee on Commonwealth/State Cooperation for Protection Against Violence (SAC-PAV) was in place. SAC-PAV held its first meeting in February 1979.

The role of the NCTC is to contribute to the security of the Australian community through coordination of a nation-wide cooperative framework to counter terrorism and its consequences. The committee now meets twice a year and is comprised of representatives from the Australian Government and State and Territory Governments.

States and Territories

State/Territory Crisis Centre (SCC/TCC)

A State/Territory Crisis Centre is established by a State or Territory when an incident occurs or a significant threat is manifest to centralise information, support ministerial and state government policy making and coordinate inter-jurisdictional assistance. The S/TCC will also coordinate public information arrangements with other States/Territories and the Australian Government.