Australia's complex, challenging and changing security environment is becoming more dynamic, diverse and degraded. Australia must protect its most privileged information, capabilities and secrets. Australia's security system is evolving to meet the threat.
The scale and sophistication of the threats facing Australia demands an equally scaled and sophisticated response. BAU just won't do.
Mike Burgess AM, Director-General of Security
Security vetting ensures that individuals who require privileged access to information, capabilities and secrets are eligible and suitable to do so.
What we do
One of our functions is to undertake security vetting and security clearance-related activities.
This includes:
- Assessing a person’s suitability to hold a security clearance.
- Making security clearance decisions.
- Validating a person’s ongoing suitability to hold a security clearance.
- Providing security clearance suitability assessments to other vetting agencies to inform their decision-making.
- Communicating with security clearance sponsors in relation to clearance holders they manage.
ASIO performs these functions for all security clearance levels in accordance with the Australian Government's Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF).
The TOP SECRET-Privileged Access (TS-PA) Vetting Authority is the sole vetting authority authorised to grant, deny, revoke and maintain TS-PA security clearances, centralising highest-level security clearance functions within ASIO. This allows ASIO to leverage its expertise, data holdings, and security intelligence capabilities to conduct more thorough and persistent assessments of an individual's suitability to hold a TS-PA security clearance.