| Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Parliament of Australia | |
| |
| Royal assent | 25 October 1979 |
| Related legislation | |
| Intelligence Services Act 2001 | |
| Status: Current legislation | |
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (the ASIO Act) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia which replaced the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1956, which had established the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) as a statutory body. ASIO is the counter-intelligence and security agency of Australia, which had been established in 1949 by Prime Minister Ben Chifley's Directive for the Establishment and Maintenance of a Security Service under the executive power of the Constitution, under the control of the Director-General of Security and responsible to the Attorney-General.
After passage of the National Security Legislation Amendment Act 2014 by the Australian Parliament, ASIO officers are exempt from prosecution for a wide range of illegal activities in the course of conducting "operations". ASIO officers may carry arms, and the Minister responsible has the ability under certain conditions to approve the provision of any weapon or training to any specified person, even outside of ASIO officers.[1]