02:06

Back in estimates: legal and constitutional affairs is probing plans for a homeland security-style mega-department for the Australian government.

A review of Australia’s intelligence agencies is currently being undertaken by Professor Michael L’Estrange, former DFAT Secretary and High Commissioner to the Court of St James’s.



There is regularly-recurring speculation that some within the government would like all of Australia’s intelligence agencies consolidated within a mega-department akin to the US’s homeland security department or the UK’s Home Office.

Opening up, Labor Senator Murray Watt is on and about off-stump, but immigration department secretary Mike Pezzullo is playing the deadest of dead bats.

Paraphrasing Watt - would Pezzullo like to see a mega-department in the style of homeland security?

I have no position, says Pezzullo.

Are there any issues with the co-operation between Australia’s security agencies?

