Powered by MOMENTUM MEDIA
defence connect logo

Powered by MOMENTUMMEDIA

Powered by MOMENTUMMEDIA

Intelligence agencies admin and expenditure report tabled

intelligence agencies admin and expenditure report tabled
Image via Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence

The parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security has tabled its review into the administration and expenditure of the six intelligence agencies from the 2015-16 financial year.

The parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security has tabled its review into the administration and expenditure of the six intelligence agencies from the 2015-16 financial year.

The report found that the six agencies of the Australian intelligence community, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), the Office of National Assessments (ONA), the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO), and the Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO), are overseeing their administration and expenditure appropriately.

The committee's chair Andrew Hastie said, while the committee will continue to monitor the resourcing of both ASIO and ASIS, the agencies have dealt with ongoing changes to the security environment challenges including: terrorism, communal violence, border integrity, espionage and foreign interference.

"Agencies have continued to respond to the changing security environment,” Hastie said.

“The committee has previously noted its concerns about the constant resourcing pressure on agencies as they carry out their work to secure the Australian people and our interests.

"During the period, agencies benefited from additional funding under a range of new funding measures. As the committee notes in its report, both ASIO and ASIS were provided with additional funding by the government to support their operations and strengthen their capacity to meet strategic priorities. These measures are welcomed by the committee as they will offset some of the resourcing pressures on the agencies. The committee will continue to monitor the resourcing of both agencies in future reviews."