Greens MPs and other crossbenchers could soon join parliament's high-powered intelligence committee under proposed government changes which the opposition warns will increase the risk of classified material leaking.
Members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Security and Intelligence (PJCIS) have always been from Labor or the Coalition, except for a brief period when whistleblower turned independent MP Andrew Wilkie sat on it during the Gillard government.
Labor's majority on the committee is now pushing to expand its membership from 11 MPs to 13, while also allowing politicians from outside the two major parties to be able to join and to receive classified briefings from Australia's intelligence agencies.
Liberal MP and former Speaker Andrew Wallace said coalition members had written a dissenting report on the draft legislation, meaning that for the first time in 17 years the committee had not reached a bipartisan consensus.
"The addition of two more members to the Committee does increase the risk of classified material being leaked, either intentionally or inadvertently," the dissenting Coalition members wrote.
Mr Wallace says it is important that the committee members, who are selected by the prime minister, come only from major parties which are likely to form government.
"We're very concerned that some sort of a grubby political deal has been done between the Labor party and the crossbench for support for legislation to allow these crossbenchers to sit on the committee when that is not the convention," he said.
In 2021, Liberal Senator James Paterson — who was Committee Chair — said the Intelligence Services Act needed reform to manage the increasing scope of the committee and "the greatest workload it has ever faced".
Current Committee Chair and Labor MP Peter Khalil has accused the Coalition of "playing politics with Australia's national security whilst the Albanese Government is focused on keeping Australians safe".
"The prime minister already has the power appoint any member of parliament to the committee," he said.
"The prime minister is required to consult with the leaders of political parties before nominating members, this change is simply about expanding the number of people on the committee to make it easier to manage its workload".
