Greens, crossbenchers snubbed from powerful intelligence and security committee

The joint committee's membership was finalised on Tuesday evening, and announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday, naming Labor MP Peter Khalil as chair while former House speaker and Liberal MP Andrew Wallace takes on the role of deputy chair.

The committee's remaining nine members include five Labor members and four Liberal members.

Mr Albanese described the oversight committee's role in reviewing national security bills and intelligence agency powers as critical in the current environment.

"At a time when regional and global security challenges are becoming increasingly complex, the work of the committee is as important as ever," he said on Wednesday.

But the omission of minor party members, including those from the Greens and the Jacqui Lambie Network, has angered crossbenchers who claim they weren't consulted on the snubbing.

Greens senator David Shoebridge slammed the Labor government for playing the "same old politics" and enabling the two major parties to play "footsies" on national security issues.

According to the laws, leaders of recognised parties must be consulted with regarding the committee's membership.

Despite having 16 MPs across both houses, the Greens claimed the government did not consult with them.

Government Senate leader Penny Wong sent a "consultation" letter to Greens senator Larissa Waters on Monday advising of her intention to appoint five major-party senators.

Senator Shoebridge said his party had reminded the government of its legal obligation back in July and this week's snub reminded him of the previous government.

"Limiting the membership of this critical committee to the Labor and Liberal parties is more of the closed-shop politics as usual we saw under the Morrison government," he said.

"The public expects the Parliament to deal with sensitive security and intelligence matters with integrity and rigour, not just have the two major parties play footsies on them.

"They have had since the first sitting week in July to get this right, who knows what they have spent this time doing instead.

"The act clearly sets out that the membership is meant to be a result of consultation and reflect the Parliament, Labor's proposal completely fails to deliver on that and unnecessarily politicises this committee."

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Long-serving independent MP Andrew Wilkie remains the only non-major party member to sit on the intelligence committee as part of a minor government-deal with former prime minister Julia Gillard.

ACT senator David Pocock, who voted with the Greens' amendment, said it was important the growing crossbench be consulted on the committee's membership now that it took up more seats than ever.

"The composition of our Parliament is changing, and that is a good thing," Senator Pocock said.

"It is becoming more diverse and more representative of the communities we are sent here to represent.

"With the Australian people voting to put a record number of representatives on the crossbench it is crucial that parliamentary processes are updated to reflect this. Everything from our share of questions, to how powerful committees are formed.

"The government can't pass any legislation in the Senate without support from the crossbench."

The government-majority committee's Labor members include Mr Khalil along with House MPs Julian Hill and Josh Wilson along with senators Raff Ciccone, Jess Walsh and Marielle Smith.

The Liberal-National MPs include House MPs Mr Wallace, Andrew Hastie and Karen Andrews as well as senators Simon Birmingham and James Paterson.

Mr Khalil's office was contacted for comment.

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