2018 was a significant year for the development of Australia’s national security laws. The Commonwealth Parliament made changes to significant areas of the laws, including updating espionage offences, establishing the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme and changing how intelligence services and the police can lawfully access telecommunications data.  

2018 was also notable for the developments in the process by which these changes were made and for the handing down of reviews by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.  

Throughout recent decades, warfare has evolved to feature greater involvement of armed non-State actors (ANSAs). Today, the majority of armed conflicts around the world are marked by the participation of at least one ANSA. By increasing humanitarian engagement with ANSAs, Geneva Call believes the international community will ultimately improve the protection of conflict-affected populations and can be effective in enhancing respect for humanitarian norms.