AusCheck background checks for responsible entities
To help you determine if an AusCheck background check is an appropriate tool for your organisation's critical infrastructure risk management program (CIRMP), these two short videos show the benefits of an AusCheck background check and how your critical workers can apply.
Part 1: Introduction to AusCheck’s background checks
As the threats and risks to Australia’s critical infrastructure evolve, so too must our approach to ensuring the ongoing security and resilience of our critical infrastructure assets.
To mitigate the risks of trusted and malicious insiders within our critical infrastructure, AusCheck, the background checking branch within home affairs may be a suitable option for your organisation to perform background checks on ‘critical workers’ as part of your organisation’s risk management plan (RMP).
To gain unsupervised access to secure areas of aviation, maritime, security sensitive biological agents or major national event facilities, AusCheck coordinates criminal and national security background checking and confirms an individual’s identity.
AusCheck has been in operation since 2007 through a network of highly trained individuals who conduct background checking and identity verification across Australia.
Background checks ensure that people working at critical infrastructure sites, are less likely to pose a national security risk and a risk to the organisation they work for.
Benefits of an AusCheck background check include:
- An established, standard process for all
- A unique assessment that considers national security
- Assessments of criminal history based on national risk
- Protection of applicants’ rights
- A cyber-secure and efficient process
AusCheck is the only background checking service provider that can provide responsible entities with an ASIO national security assessment as part of the check
What is included in a background check
- A criminal history assessment by AusCheck, using information provided by the Australian criminal intelligence commission (ACIC)
- A national security assessment by the Australian security intelligence organisation (ASIO)
- A ‘right to work in Australia’ check if the critical worker is an Australian visa holder. This check is conducted through the department of home affairs’ visa entitlement verification online (VEVO) system.
On average AusCheck finalises 80% of background checks within 2 weeks of receiving the application.
Keep your organisation safe from threats and risks with AusCheck background checks. Follow on in part two, to understand the application process in more detail.
Part 2: How your critical workers can apply for an AusCheck background check
How will your critical workers apply?
Once you have decided as a responsible entity to use AusCheck for background checking, you need to complete your critical infrastructure risk management program (CIRMP) and document how you will deal with an adverse security assessment (ASA) or qualified security assessment (QSA) for a national security assessment for a critical worker.
A responsible entity needs a completed CIRMP before using AusCheck background checking for critical workers. Within your organisation’s risk management program you must detail how you will deal with a qualified or adverse security assessment of a critical worker.
Dealing with a qualified or adverse security assessment
If your critical worker has an adverse or qualified security assessment, your CIRMP will need to outline how you intend to manage that risk, that is, if you will decide it is appropriate to grant the worker escorted access to the critical infrastructure asset, or if any decisions need to be made under relevant employment laws such as the Fairwork act.
Examples include
- Reassignment of the worker to another area of the business.
- Restriction of access to key components of the asset, such as in full or on a limited/controlled basis (for example being escorted)
- Implementing dual authorisation requirements for the worker
- Implementing restricted duties for the worker
- And in some cases, termination of the worker’s employment where that worker’s employment agreement permits such an action.
Your critical workers will need to setup a myID, their digital identity if they do not already have one.
Once setup with a myID, they can access the AusCheck portal.
They will need originals of their identification documents, such as, a drivers licence, birth certificate or valid passport and Medicare card to provide with their application.
Identity verification
The critical worker will also need to present their original identification documents in person and have their photo taken to have their identity verified.
If a critical worker believes AusCheck has applied the law incorrectly in their decision making process, they can appeal the background check decision through the administrative appeals tribunal (a.a.t.).
AusCheck maintains a secure database of applications and has protections in place to safeguard the data of individuals even after the background check outcome is determined.
Find out more
For more information go to AusCheck
The Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Clare O’Neil MP, has switched on the Risk Management Program obligation under the
Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018. This applies to certain critical infrastructure asset classes.
Responsible entities of critical infrastructure assets will need to develop a Risk Management Program (RMP). An RMP must consider, among other things, the personnel security risks for the asset. It must identify individuals who have ongoing access to sensitive aspects of the business. This includes:
- employees
- contractors and
- agents.
We consider these people to be ‘critical workers’.
The RMP must also include processes and procedures to minimise or eliminate material risks that critical personnel may pose. Background checks are one method of managing these risks.
The Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 enables AusCheck and other providers to provide background checking. This is used as part of an RMP to background check critical workers. Responsible entities are not obligated to utilise background checking services in managing personnel risks. This is in cases where they can manage the risk in another way.
Critical Infrastructure Asset Classes
According to the RMP Rules, the critical infrastructure risk management program requirements apply to the following asset classes:
- Broadcasting
- Domain Name Systems
- Data Storage or processing
- Electricity
- Energy Market Operator
- Gas
- Liquid Fuels
- Payment Systems
- Food and Grocery
- Critical Hospitals
- Critical Freight Infrastructure*
- Critical Freight Services
- Water
* Rule 8 of the
Security of Critical Infrastructure (Definitions) Rules (LIN 21/039) 2021 specifies that intermodal transfer facilities mentioned in schedule one of the instrument will be critical to the transportation of goods between states or territories. At this stage, only these facilities will be subject to Positive Security Obligations (PSOs).
Benefits of an AusCheck background check
A standardised process
AusCheck provides a standardised process for background checks. This process has well-established controls to protect and manage personal information. AusCheck has a long history of providing background checks for the aviation and maritime sectors. We use AusCheck for the:
- aviation and maritime security identification card (ASIC and MSIC) schemes
- Security Sensitive Biological Agents (SSBA) scheme and
- Major National Events (MNE) scheme.
Assessments that consider national security
AusCheck background checks include national security assessments by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). These include assessing threats relating to:
- espionage
- sabotage
- politically motivated violence
- promotion of communal violence
- attacks on Australia’s defence system
- acts of foreign interference.
Criminal history assessments based on national risk
In assessing an applicant’s criminal history the AusCheck scheme uses criteria that have been co-developed by the:
- Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department
- Department of Home Affairs
- Australian Federal Police
- Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
Protection of applicant rights
Before finalising a background check, the AusCheck scheme requires the applicant to confirm the accuracy of the criminal history information used in the assessment. If the applicant disagrees with the final assessment, they can seek a review. The Administrative Review Tribunal will conduct this review.
For more information and how to apply
Responsible Entities who have identified critical workers under their risk management program can contact
AusCheck.CI@homeaffairs.gov.au for more information.
AusCheck background checking fees
You can find the costs for AusCheck background checks by visiting the AusCheck background checks page.
