Telecommunications Act 1997

An Ombudsman official may inspect the records of an interception agency, except the Australian Crime Commission, to determine the extent of compliance with this Part by:

the agency; and

the chief officer of the agency; and

officers of the agency.

The chief officer of an interception agency to which subsection (1) applies must ensure that officers of the agency give an Ombudsman official any assistance the Ombudsman official reasonably requires to enable the Ombudsman official to exercise the power conferred by that subsection.

The Commonwealth Ombudsman may make a written report to the Home Affairs Minister on the results of one or more inspections under subsection (1).

A report under subsection (3) must not include information which, if made public, could reasonably be expected to:

prejudice an investigation or prosecution; or

compromise any interception agency’s operational activities or methodologies.

If:

the Commonwealth Ombudsman makes a report under subsection (3); and

the report relates to an inspection under subsection (1) of the records of an interception agency of a State or Territory;

If the Home Affairs Minister receives a report under subsection (3), the Home Affairs Minister must cause a copy of the report to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the Home Affairs Minister receives the report.

Before tabling the copy of the report, the Home Affairs Minister may delete from the copy information that, if made public, could reasonably be expected to:

prejudice an investigation or prosecution; or

compromise any interception agency’s operational activities or methodologies.