House of Representatives Committees


| Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security

Navigation: Contents | Next Page

Preliminary pages

Foreword

It is with pleasure that I present the fifth review of the administration and expenditure of the Australian Intelligence Community by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.  

The review examined all aspects of the administration and expenditure of the six intelligence and security agencies, including the financial statements for each agency.  

The review revisited recruitment and training issues which were examined in detail during the fourth review of administration and expenditure.  The Committee found that agencies continue to deal with substantial challenges related to recruiting, training and retaining staff in a very tight marketplace.

Budgetary growth has been significant over the last several years for most of the agencies, and, for some, growth will continue for several more years.  It has been a concern of the Committee in previous reviews that rapid expansion could bring with it unavoidable stresses and strains in the organisations at a time when they could least afford growing pains.  Agencies discussed the challenge they have faced and continue to face—handling considerably increased budgets in conjunction with, in most cases, rapidly increasing staff numbers. 

All the AIC agencies have undergone some structural reorganisation, to varying degrees, to absorb recent growth in the most effective way.  In some of the agencies structural reorganisation has meant quite significant change within the organisation while other agencies have absorbed increased staff numbers into the existing structure with little structural change. 

The agencies all demonstrated to the Committee that they are mindful of the dangers of rapidly expanding at the expense of maintaining high standards of professionalism and each agency continues to review its strategies to manage this risk.  

The Committee is satisfied that the administration and expenditure of the six intelligence and security agencies is currently sound and it thanks the Heads of the AIC agencies and all those who have contributed to this review.

 

The Hon David Jull MP

Chair

Membership of the Committee

 

Chair

The Hon David Jull MP

 

Deputy Chair

Mr Anthony Byrne MP

 

Members

The Hon Duncan Kerr SC MP

Senator Alan Ferguson

 

Mr Stewart McArthur MP

Senator the Hon Robert Ray

 

Mr Steven Ciobo MP

Senator the Hon John Faulkner

 

 

Senator Fiona Nash

 

Committee Secretariat

 

Secretary

Ms Margaret Swieringa

(till 1 June 2007)

 

Mr Stephen Boyd

(from 4 June 2007)

Inquiry Secretary

Dr Cathryn Ollif

Administrative Officer

Mrs Donna Quintus-Bosz

Terms of reference

 

This review is conducted under paragraph 29(1)(a) of the Intelligence Services Act 2001:

n  to review the administration and expenditure of ASIO, ASIS, DIGO, DIO, DSD and ONA, including the annual financial statements (of) ASIO, ASIS, DIGO, DIO, DSD and ONA.

List of abbreviations

 

AIC

Australian Intelligence Community

ANAO

Australian National Audit Office

APS

Australian Public Service

ASIO

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

ASIS

Australian Secret Intelligence Service

DFAT

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

DIGO

Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation

DIO

Defence Intelligence Organisation

DSD

Defence Signals Directorate

EL1 / EL2

Executive Level 1 / 2 within APS

FICC

Foreign Intelligence Coordination Committee

FMA Act

Financial Management and Accountability Act 1977

FTE

Full Time Equivalent

IASF

Inter-Agency Security Forum

IGIS

Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security

NICP

National Indigenous Cadetship Project

NSH

National Security Hotline

ONA

Office of National Assessments

OSA

Organisational Suitability Assessment

OSB

Open Source Branch

PM&C

Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet

SES

Senior Executive Service

SIGINT

Signals Intelligence

TS(PV)

Top Secret (Positive Vet) security clearance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Navigation: Contents | Next Page

Back to top

We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledge their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders past, present and emerging.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain images and voices of deceased people.