Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) If a technical assistance notice has been given to a designated communications provider by the Director - General of Security, the Director - General of Security may vary the notice.
(2) If a technical assistance notice has been given to a designated communications provider by the chief officer of an interception agency, the chief officer may vary the notice.
Form of variation
(3) A variation may be made:
(a) orally; or
(b) in writing.
(4) A variation must not be made orally unless:
(a) an imminent risk of serious harm to a person or substantial damage to property exists; and
(b) the variation is necessary for the purpose of dealing with that risk; and
(c) it is not practicable in the circumstances to make the variation in writing.
(5) If a variation is made orally by the Director - General of Security or the chief officer of an interception agency, the Director - General of Security or the chief officer, as the case requires, must:
(a) make a written record of the variation; and
(b) do so within 48 hours after the variation was made.
(6) If, under subsection (5), the Director - General of Security or the chief officer of an interception agency makes a written record of a variation, the Director - General of Security or the chief officer, as the case requires, must:
(a) give a copy of the record to the designated communications provider concerned; and
(b) do so as soon as practicable after the record was made.
(7) If a variation is made in writing by the Director - General of Security or the chief officer of an interception agency, the Director - General of Security or the chief officer, as the case requires, must:
(a) give a copy of the variation to the designated communications provider concerned; and
(b) do so as soon as practicable after the variation was made.
Acts or things specified in a varied technical assistance notice
(8) The acts or things specified in a varied technical assistance notice must be:
(a) in connection with any or all of the eligible activities of the designated communications provider concerned; and
(b) covered by subsection 317L(2).
(9) The acts or things specified in a varied technical assistance notice must be listed acts or things, so long as those acts or things:
(a) are in connection with any or all of the eligible activities of the designated communications provider concerned; and
(b) are covered by subsection 317L(2).
Note: For listed acts or things , see section 317E.
Decision - making criteria
(10) The Director - General of Security or the chief officer of an interception agency must not vary a technical assistance notice unless the Director - General of Security or the chief officer, as the case requires, is satisfied that:
(a) the requirements imposed by the varied notice are reasonable and proportionate; and
(b) compliance with the varied notice is:
(i) practicable; and
(ii) technically feasible.
Note: See also section 317RA.
Variation must not extend duration of technical assistance notice
(11) A variation of a technical assistance notice must not extend the period for which the notice is in force.
Notification obligations
(12) If the Director - General of Security varies a technical assistance notice, the Director - General of Security must, within 7 days after varying the notice, notify the Inspector - General of Intelligence and Security that the notice has been varied.
(13) If the chief officer of an interception agency varies a technical assistance notice, the chief officer must, within 7 days after varying the notice, notify the Commonwealth Ombudsman that the notice has been varied.
(14) A failure to comply with subsection (12) or (13) does not affect the validity of a variation of a technical assistance notice.