Commonwealth Numbered Acts

AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION ACT 1979 No. 113 of 1979 - SECT 4

4. In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears-

''activities prejudicial to security'' includes any activities concerning
which Australia has responsibilities to a foreign country as referred to in
paragraph (b) of the definition of ''security'' in this section;

''active measures of foreign intervention'' means clandestine or deceptive
action taken by or on behalf of a foreign power to promote the interests of
that power;

''acts of violence'' includes the kidnapping or detention of a person;

''authority of the Commonwealth'' includes-

   (a)  a Department of State or a Department of the Public Service;

   (b)  the Defence Force;

   (c)  a body, whether incorporated or not, established for public purposes
        by or under a law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory;

   (d)  the holder of an office established for public purposes by or under a
        law of the Commonwealth or of a Territory;

   (e)  a prescribed body established in relation to public purposes that are
        of concern to the Commonwealth and any State or States; and

   (f)  a company the whole of the share capital of which is held by the
        Commonwealth;

''Director-General'' means the Director-General of Security holding office
under this Act;

''domestic subversion'' means activities of the kind to which sub-section 5
(1) applies;

''Judge'' means a Judge of a court created by the Parliament;

''Organization'' means the Australian Security Intelligence Organization;

''security'' means-

   (a)  the protection of, and of the people of, the Commonwealth and the
        several States and Territories from-

        (i)    espionage;

        (ii)   sabotage;

        (iii)  subversion;

        (iv)   active measures of foreign intervention; or

        (v)    terrorism,

whether directed from, or committed within, Australia or not; and

   (b)  the carrying out of Australia's responsibilities to any foreign
        country in relation to a matter mentioned in any of the sub-paragraphs
        of paragraph (a);

''terrorism'' includes-

   (a)  acts of violence for the purpose of achieving a political objective in
        Australia or in a foreign country (including acts of violence for the
        purpose of influencing the policy or acts of a government in Australia
        or in a foreign country);

   (b)  training, planning, preparations or other activities for the purposes
        of violent subversion in a foreign country or for the purposes of the
        commission in a foreign country of other acts of violence of a kind
        referred to in paragraph (a);

   (c)  acts that are offences punishable under the Crimes (Internationally
        Protected Persons) Act 1976; or

   (d)  acts that are offences punishable under the Crimes (Hijacking of
        Aircraft) Act 1972 or the Crimes (Protection of Aircraft) Act 1973.