[7] The organisation is uniquely equipped as Australia's national criminal intelligence agency with investigative, research and information delivery functions.

They report to the Minister for Home Affairs, and is accountable to and monitored and reviewed by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.

The ACIC Board[10] includes representatives of Commonwealth, state and territory law enforcement and key national security and regulatory agencies.

[10] They are subject to the jurisdiction of the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity (ACLEI), which is tasked with preventing, detecting and investigating law-enforcement related corruption issues.

The coercive powers also authorise examiners to issue notices to be served on persons requiring them to produce documents or things relevant to a special operation or investigation.

[14] The ACIC works together with state and territory crime task forces to reduce the threat of high-risk targets operating in and impacting Australia.