(1) The staff necessary to assist the Inspector - General are:
(a) persons engaged under the Public Service Act 1999 ; and
(b) any persons employed under subsection (3); and
(c) a consultant or contractor engaged to assist the Inspector - General under section 32AAA or 32AAB; and
(d) a person who is made available by another body or organisation to assist the Inspector - General under section 32AAD.
(2) For the purposes of the Public Service Act 1999 :
(a) the Inspector - General and the APS employees assisting the Inspector - General together constitute a Statutory Agency; and
(b) the Inspector - General is the Head of that Statutory Agency.
(3) The Inspector - General may, by written agreement, employ a person to assist the Inspector - General to perform functions and exercise powers under Division 3 or 4 of Part II for the purposes of a particular inquiry specified in the agreement, as delegated under subsection 32AA(1).
(4) However, the Inspector - General may only employ a person in relation to a particular inquiry if the responsible Minister is satisfied that:
(a) it is necessary to employ a person in relation to the particular inquiry; and
(b) the person has the expertise appropriate to the inquiry.
(5) The Inspector - General must determine in writing the terms and conditions of employment of the persons mentioned in paragraph (1)(b).
(6) Unless the responsible Minister otherwise agrees in relation to a particular inquiry, the person proposed to be employed in relation to the inquiry must be cleared for security purposes to at least the same level, and at the same frequency, as staff members of ASIS.