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Govt consolidates public service ID system

The Federal Government has today launched a single agency to issue commonwealth security clearances for public servants and contractors.
Written by Darren Pauli, Contributor

The Federal Government has today launched a single agency to issue commonwealth security clearances for public servants and contractors.

The Australian Government Security Vetting Agency will replace the need for some 100 agencies to issue individual clearances, and save some $5.3 million a year, according to the government.

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It is expected to process some 48,000 clearances a year from 300 government agencies.

Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland said the agency will cull inconsistencies and duplication under the existing system.

"Before the [agency], more than 100 agencies replicated the processes of security vetting while more than 50 agencies held separate contracts with vetting service providers," McClelland said in a statement.

"The introduction of a single vetting agency removes this inefficient duplication."

The agency will reduce burden on those undergoing security checks, according to Federal Defence Minister Stephen Smith, because clearances will be done quicker and with less paperwork.

The government will also toughen profiling guidelines under a new Personnel Security Protocol to allow extended checks on personnel, in accordance with risk assessments.

Problems have remained in personnel profiling for agencies across private and government sectors. Last year, a pharmaceuticals warehouse supervisor for Logistics company DHL was charged with selling thousands of dollars of ecstasy tablets to an undercover police officer, after passing a comprehensive profiling test.

"Sophisticated" information security systems and tight profiling failed to prevent a NSW police analyst from leaking information on raids to infamous bikie gang, the Comancheros, in November.

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