Security and Critical Infrastructure Division
The Security and Critical Infrastructure Division (SCID) is responsible for the administration and development of legislation and the provision of legal and policy advice with respect to counter-terrorism, national security, telecommunications interception and critical infrastructure protection. With respect to national security and counter-terrorism, the Division undertakes a central coordinating role across the Department and the portfolio, as well as interfacing with other departments and agencies in the whole-of-government context. The Division also coordinates Australian Government activities in critical infrastructure protection, building on the work to protect Australia's National Information Infrastructure that began in 1999, and provides policy and legal policy advice on these issues. The Division performs a leadership role in the development of a business-government partnership for critical infrastructure protection with Australian industry. Each area of the Division carries out its work in the context of promoting international cooperation on bilateral, regional and multilateral bases and through our prominence in international fora.
The First Assistant Secretary of the Security and Critical Infrastructure Division is also the holder of a statutory role called the Agency Co-ordinator.
The Security and Critical Infrastructure Division consists of three branches and one specialist unit:
- Security Law Branch
- Telecommunications and Surveillance Law Branch
- Critical Infrastructure Protection Branch
- Counter Terrorism Strategic Policy Unit
- Agency Co-ordinator