Appointment of Commissioner for the commission to conduct an inquiry into Australia’s Security and Intelligence Agencies (Cth)

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth:

TO THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE ROBERT MARSDEN HOPE, C.M.G., Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of New South Wales

GREETING:

WHEREAS it is desired to have a judicial review of the activities of Australia's security and intelligence agencies, namely, the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, the Defence Signals Directorate, the Joint Intelligence Organisation and the Office of National Assessments (hereinafter called "the agencies"):

NOW THEREFORE We do, by these Our Letters Patent issued in Our name by Our Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on the advice of the Federal Executive Council and in pursuance of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Royal Commissions Act 1902 and other enabling powers, appoint you to be a Commissioner to inquire into, and in relation to -

(a) the activities of the agencies, especially since the completion of the inquiry made by the Royal Commission appointed on 21 August 1974 to inquire into matters relating to the intelligence and security services of the Australian Government (hereinafter called the Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security), with particular reference to -

(i) the progress made in implementing Government decisions on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security and of the Protective Security Review;

(ii) whether the agencies have efficiently, effectively and properly served the interests of the Australian people and Government, including whether effective arrangements exist for the establishment of policies and priorities, for the co-ordination of their activities and for the oversight of their work;