Crisis-focused Home Affairs fails to prepare for security threats

Australia’s Home Affairs department, which is responsible for immigration and security, is ill-prepared for rising cyber and border risks, is too focused on crisis management and is ridden with high leadership turnover, according to a new audit.

The review also identifies a deep divide between the department and its Australian Border Force (ABF) unit, which manages the customs function and raises $22 billion annually – making it the second-largest revenue collector after the Tax Office.