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TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT 1997 - SECT 317JA

Variation of technical assistance requests

  (1)   If a technical assistance request has been given to a designated communications provider by the Director - General of Security, the Director - General of Security may vary the request.

  (2)   If a technical assistance request has been given to a designated communications provider by the Director - General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, the Director - General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service may vary the request.

  (3)   If a technical assistance request has been given to a designated communications provider by the Director - General of the Australian Signals Directorate, the Director - General of the Australian Signals Directorate may vary the request.

  (4)   If a technical assistance request has been given to a designated communications provider by the chief officer of an interception agency, the chief officer may vary the request.

Form of variation

  (5)   A variation may be made:

  (a)   orally; or

  (b)   in writing.

  (6)   A variation must not be made orally unless:

  (a)   an imminent risk of serious harm to a person or substantial damage to property exists; and

  (b)   the variation is necessary for the purpose of dealing with that risk; and

  (c)   it is not practicable in the circumstances to make the variation in writing.

  (7)   If a variation is made orally by:

  (a)   the Director - General of Security; or

  (b)   the Director - General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service; or

  (c)   the Director - General of the Australian Signals Directorate; or

  (d)   the chief officer of an interception agency;

the Director - General of Security, the Director - General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, the Director - General of the Australian Signals Directorate or the chief officer, as the case requires, must:

  (e)   make a written record of the variation; and

  (f)   do so within 48 hours after the variation was made.

  (8)   If, under subsection   (7):

  (a)   the Director - General of Security; or

  (b)   the Director - General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service; or

  (c)   the Director - General of the Australian Signals Directorate; or

  (d)   the chief officer of an interception agency;

makes a written record of a variation, the Director - General of Security, the Director - General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, the Director - General of the Australian Signals Directorate or the chief officer, as the case requires, must:

  (e)   give a copy of the record to the designated communications provider concerned; and

  (f)   do so as soon as practicable after the record was made.

Acts or things specified in a varied technical assistance request

  (9)   The acts or things specified in a varied technical assistance request must be:

  (a)   in connection with any or all of the eligible activities of the designated communications provider concerned; and

  (b)   covered by subsection   317G(2).

  (10)   The acts or things that may be specified in a varied technical assistance request include (but are not limited to) listed acts or things, so long as those acts or things:

  (a)   are in connection with any or all of the eligible activities of the designated communications provider concerned; and

  (b)   are covered by subsection   317G(2).

Note:   For listed acts or things , see section   317E.

Decision - making criteria

  (11)   The Director - General of Security must not vary a technical assistance request unless the Director - General of Security is satisfied that:

  (a)   the varied request is reasonable and proportionate; and

  (b)   compliance with the varied request is:

  (i)   practicable; and

  (ii)   technically feasible.

Note:   See also section   317JC.

  (12)   The Director - General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service must not vary a technical assistance request unless the Director - General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service is satisfied that:

  (a)   the varied request is reasonable and proportionate; and

  (b)   compliance with the varied request is:

  (i)   practicable; and

  (ii)   technically feasible.

Note:   See also section   317JC.

  (13)   The Director - General of the Australian Signals Directorate must not vary a technical assistance request unless the Director - General of the Australian Signals Directorate is satisfied that:

  (a)   the varied request is reasonable and proportionate; and

  (b)   compliance with the varied request is:

  (i)   practicable; and

  (ii)   technically feasible.

Note:   See also section   317JC.

  (14)   The chief officer of an interception agency must not vary a technical assistance request unless the chief officer is satisfied that:

  (a)   the varied request is reasonable and proportionate; and

  (b)   compliance with the varied request is:

  (i)   practicable; and

  (ii)   technically feasible.

Note:   See also section   317JC.

Notification obligations

  (15)   If the Director - General of Security varies a technical assistance request, the Director - General of Security must, within 7 days after varying the request, notify the Inspector - General of Intelligence and Security that the request has been varied.

  (16)   If the Director - General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service varies a technical assistance request, the Director - General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service must, within 7 days after varying the request, notify the Inspector - General of Intelligence and Security that the request has been varied.

  (17)   If the Director - General of the Australian Signals Directorate varies a technical assistance request, the Director - General of the Australian Signals Directorate must, within 7 days after varying the request, notify the Inspector - General of Intelligence and Security that the request has been varied.

  (18)   If the chief officer of an interception agency varies a technical assistance request, the chief officer must, within 7 days after varying the request, notify the Commonwealth Ombudsman that the request has been varied.

  (19)   A failure to comply with subsection   (15), (16), (17) or (18) does not affect the validity of a variation of a technical assistance request.


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