To provide information for the security of Australia, and to disrupt the efforts of other countries to carry out intelligence operations against Australia, Australia has a number of intelligence agencies. Control of Australia's intelligence services is exercised by the government through the National Security Committee of Cabinet. It is a standing committee of Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, and includes the Deputy Prime Minister, Treasurer, Attorney-General, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister of Defence, and the Minister for Immigration. It also contains the Secretaries of each department represented, the Chief of the Defence Staff, and the Directors General of ASIO, ASIS, and the ONA. There is a Secretaries’ Committee on National Security (SCNS) which contains the Secretaries of each department represented in the National Security Committee, and the Commissioners of the Australian Federal Police. Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, Border Protection Command and Australian Crime Commission.
The National Intelligence Coordination Committee (NICC) is to ensure that Australia’s foreign, security and law enforcement intelligence activities are closely aligned and consistent with our national security priorities, and that the national intelligence effort is effectively integrated. It is chaired by the National Security Adviser and contains representation from all intelligence and security agencies. The committee consists of ASIS, ASIO, ONA, Department of Defence, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Attorney General's Department, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force, Defence Intelligence Group, CIA, NZSIS, SIS, and CSIS.
Intelligence Organisations[]
Australia's intelligence agencies are listed here by the responsible department:
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Australian Secret Intelligence Service (foreign intelligence, overseas counter-intelligence)
- Attorney-General's Department
- Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (domestic counter-intelligence, protection from espionage, sabotage, politically-motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, terrorism and acts of foreign interference)
- Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Office of National Assessments (analysis and assessments on international political, strategic and economic developments to the Prime Minister and senior ministers in the National Security Committee of Cabinet, coordination of intelligence operations)
- Department of Defence
- Defence Intelligence and Security Group (coordinates all Defence intelligence agencies)
- Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) (assessing intelligence for the Department of Defence)
- Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO) (Geospatial intelligence)
- Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) (signals intelligence and information security)
- Defence Security Authority (DSA)
- Department of Defence Intelligence, Security and International Policy Group (IS&IP)
- Australian Defence Force
- Australian Army
- Australian Army Intelligence Corps
- Royal Australian Navy
- Australian Naval Intelligence Organisation
- Royal Australian Air Force
- 87 Squadron
- Australian Army
- Defence Intelligence and Security Group (coordinates all Defence intelligence agencies)
The ADF's intelligence services fulfill several separate functions. One is to provide intelligence data and analysis to unit commanders. Each RAAF Squadron (and above), each Army combat Battalion, and each RAN ship has an intelligence officer. They also coordinate intelligence gathering by their own unit and disseminate that intelligence to other ADF units. Finally, they have partial responsibility for counter-intelligence (this is shared with military police units).