Intelligence services
NARROWER TERMS
Report
Navigating the crisis: how governments used intelligence for decision making during the COVID-19 pandemic
This report examines how governments — and the societies around them — mobilised intelligence to handle the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects. It also makes recommendations as to how they could improve their ability to organise intelligence for future challenges of all kinds, from pandemics...
Report
The Pacific Fusion Centre: the challenge of sharing information and intelligence in the Pacific
This report examines the Australian-sponsored Pacific Fusion Centre (PFC), which is due to open permanent offices in Vanuatu later this year.
Report
Report of the Comprehensive Review of the Legal Framework of the National Intelligence Community
This review comprehensively examined the effectiveness of the legislative framework governing the National Intelligence Community, and prepared findings and recommendations for reforms. The review was supported by a Secretariat in the Attorney-General's Department (Australia).
Discussion paper
An Australian intellectual edge for conflict and competition in the 21st century
This paper provides insights into how the Australian Defence Force might apply its knowledge of a changing environment to more comprehensively address gaps in its software framework.
Briefing paper
Addressing Australia's vulnerability to weaponised narratives
In a time of endless globalised information flows, Australia must defend its democratic political discussion.
Report
Oversight of intelligence agencies: a comparison of the 'Five Eyes' nations
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States each have some combination of parliamentary/congressional, independent and judicial oversight of their intelligence agencies, in addition to accountability through the executive branch. However, there are differences in the nature and scope of each of...
Article
The 2017 independent review of intelligence: views from The Strategist
The articles reprinted in this report give a range of perspectives on the recent Australian Intelligence Community (AIC) review and its recommendations.
Report
2017 Independent intelligence review
This review examined the environment in which the intelligence community operates, and consider how effectively it serves Australia’s national interests.
Audio podcast
Signals intelligence and counter-terrorism
For this episode of the podcast Sub Rosa, Andrew interviewed former GCHQ employee David Wells about counter-terrorism. GCHQ is the UK government’s signals intelligence agency, similar to the United States National Security Agency (NSA) or the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD). The interview discusses the nature...
Report
Opportunities abound abroad: optimising our criminal intelligence system overseas
Criminal intelligence (CrimInt) is so useful in serious criminal investigations that it’s difficult to envisage a situation where it shouldn’t be sought and used if it’s available. This special report argues that Australia’s current arrangements for gathering and disseminating CrimInt overseas are suboptimal. While additional...
Report
The report of the Iraq inquiry
In this Executive Summary, the Inquiry sets out its conclusions on a number of issues that have been central to the controversies surrounding Iraq. In addition to the factors that shaped the decision to take military action in March 2003 without support for an authorising...
Report
Australia’s participation in the Pine Gap enterprise
Australian participation in the operation of Pine Gap is effectively complete, with access to all areas of the base except the US National Cryptographic Room. The senior Australian Defence officials who negotiated the original implementing agreement with the CIA sought and obtained access to all...
Book
Geography, power, strategy and defence policy
Paul Dibb AM has had an extraordinary career. He enjoys an international scholarly reputation of the highest order, while at the same time he has done much distinguished public service. He was a pioneer in moving back and forth between posts in government departments, notably...
Report
The antennas of Pine Gap
Antennas are the most readily available and visible evidence of the existence, character, and size of signals intelligence facilities that operate or monitor space systems. Coupled with data on the timing of developments in US geosynchronous satellite programs, the timing of antenna installation now permits...
Report
Report on the impact on journalists of section 35P of the ASIO Act
This report argues that section 35P of the ASIO Act is not justified, and that it does not contain adequate safeguards for protecting the rights of outsiders and is not proportionate to the threat of terrorism or the threat to national security.
Report
Chinese investment in the Port of Darwin: a strategic risk for Australia?
The Port of Darwin lease highlights an urgent need to review how Australia takes account of its national security interests in making decisions about foreign investment.
Report
Managing operations at Pine Gap
The management of operations at the Pine Gap facility has become increasingly complex as the functions of the station have expanded, the number of agencies involved has grown, and the demands of a wider range of ‘users’ or ‘customers’ for the provision of ‘actionable intelligence’...
Report
The SIGINT satellites of Pine Gap: conception, development and in orbit
Pine Gap’s initial and still principal importance to the United States lies in its role as a ground control and processing station for geosynchronous signals intelligence satellites. Nine geosynchronous SIGINT (signals intelligence) satellites have been operated by Pine Gap over the past 45 years. That...
Report
The higher management of Pine Gap
The higher management of Pine Gap is and has always been an entirely American affair. To understand Pine Gap today, it is necessary to understand the organisations of the US intelligence community and military concerned with the acquisition of technical intelligence, and their politics over...
Report
The corporatisation of Pine Gap
The Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap, located just outside the town of Alice Springs in Central Australia and managed by the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), is one of the largest U.S. technical intelligence collection facilities in the world. The corporate presence at Pine Gap...
Report
The militarisation of Pine Gap: organisations and personnel
The Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap, located just outside the town of Alice Springs in Central Australia and managed by the US National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), is one of the largest US technical intelligence collection facilities in the world. Pine Gap today hosts three distinct...
Technical report
Gen Y jihadists: preventing radicalisation in Australia
This paper examines the scope and nature of terrorism motivated by violent Islamist extremism in Australia through a comprehensive database, assesses the policy responses by the government to date, and offers recommendations. Overview In September 2014 the terrorism threat level was raised from ‘medium’ to...
Report
Expanded communications satellite surveillance and intelligence activities utilising multi-beam antenna systems
The recent expansion of FORNSAT/COMSAT (foreign satellite/communications satellite) interception by the UKUSA or Five Eyes (FVEY) partners has involved the installation over the past eight years of multiple advanced quasi-parabolic multi-beam antennas, known as Torus, each of which can intercept up to 35 satellite communications...
Report
Comprehensive revision of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979
This inquiry, coinciding with the inquiry into mandatory data retention, examined the need for comprehensive reform of the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 in light of changes in technology as well as privacy concerns.
Report
Advisory report on the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Amendment (Data Retention) Bill 2014
This report recommends the Federal Government introduce a data retention scheme, but also recommends several changes to the proposed legislation.