I hope to return to regular blogging, but might not manage to for a while. For now, here are a few updates.

The final version of my journal article, “Explaining a turning point in Australian jihadism” is now available. However it requires a journal subscription.

In June I posted about a conversation, happening at ASPI’s blog The Strategist, on Australian intelligence oversight. I’ve since updated the post to include some more recent contributions.

I also recommend this Strategist post by David Connery about how serious and organised crime is now being described as a national security threat. As he shows, calling it a “threat to national security” has far reaching implications that have barely been discussed.

Hamish Hansford from the Australian Crime Commission responds here.

There have also been two recent reports on organised crime:

Inquiry into the gathering and use of criminal intelligence
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement (PJCLE)
15 May 2013

Organised crime in Australia 2013
Australian Crime Commission (ACC)
30 July 2013

Three reports discussed earlier in this blog, recommending significant changes to national security legislation, were tabled in Parliament on May and June this year. However the government has not yet responded to them, meaning it will be up to whoever wins the election (not that they will feature in the campaign).

The reports were:

Independent National Security Legislation Monitor – declassified annual report 20th December 2012
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)
14 May 2013

Council of Australian Governments review of counter-terrorism legislation
Council of Australian Governments (COAG)
14 May 2013

Report of the inquiry into potential reforms of Australia’s national security legislation
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS)
24 June 2013