| The Hon Lindsay Tanner MP Minister for Finance and Deregulation |
The Hon Robert McClelland MP Attorney-general |
The Hon John Faulkner MP Minister for Defence |
82/2009
1 December 2009
Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner, and Minister for Defence, Senator John Faulkner today announced the establishment of a single security vetting agency in the Department of Defence for Commonwealth security clearances.
The single vetting agency will improve the Commonwealth’s security vetting process by:
The centralised vetting agency will commence operations in October 2010, with efficiencies from centralisation expected to save the Government at least $5.3 million per year.
“Currently more than 100 agencies replicate the processes of security vetting while more than 50 agencies hold separate contracts with vetting service providers,” Mr McClelland said.
“The introduction of a single vetting agency will remove this inefficient duplication.”
Senator Faulkner said, “Defence will provide an efficient and cost effective single vetting agency. This consolidation will deliver security clearances quicker and with less paperwork than the current decentralised system.
“This is a good outcome. I am pleased that public servants and contractors will only have to deal with a single agency on security clearance issues.”
Lindsay Tanner said that Better Regulation Ministerial Partnerships were a key part of the Rudd Government’s deregulation agenda and have proved effective in ensuring a coordinated approach to delivering regulatory reform across government.
“The introduction of various Better Regulation Ministerial Partnerships reflects the Government’s ongoing commitment to addressing impediments to Australia’s long-term productivity growth,” Mr Tanner said.
“We have listened to the concerns of business and the wider community and taken action to cut red tape and improve efficiencies in our own backyard.”
Almost 50,000 security clearances were conducted across the Commonwealth in 2007/08.| Media Contact: | Website: |
|---|---|
| Minister Tanner's Office - Nardia Dazkiw - 0418 144 690 | www.financeminister.gov.au |
| Minister McClelland's Office - Daniel Gleeson - 0409 562425 | |
| Senator Faulkner's Office - Colin Campbell - 0407 787 181 |
