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Deputy chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security Andrew Wallace has led the charge against the government following revelations that most senior intelligence officers were being excluded from the National Security Committee of Cabinet.
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The revelation is that the standing invitation for the director generals of Australia’s domestic intelligence service, the Australian Secret Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), and the foreign intelligence service, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), has shattered established convention.
As part of the changes, both the Director-General of Security (ASIO) and the Director-General of Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) will be invited to contribute to the National Security Committee of Cabinet (NSC) on a “case-by-case basis”.
Deputy chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security Andrew Wallace said, “Under the Coalition, the Director-General of Security and the Director-General of Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Australia’s domestic and foreign intelligence agencies both served as permanent members of the NSC, alongside senior ministers and public servants.”
This decision comes at a time when the Indo-Pacific continues to face mounting Chinese aggression and hostility, particularly in the South China Sea and waters around Taiwan, putting Australia’s economic and national security at risk.
Compounding this is continued concern about domestic extremism and the growing risk of foreign interference by enemy agents operating in Australia.
Shadow minister for defence and shadow minister for defence industry Andrew Hastie, speaking to Sharri Markson of Sky News said, “It’s a very concerning data point. It’s a warning sign flashing red for me. When you’re kicking the intelligence heads out of the committee that is responsible for national security in government, that’s a big, big warning sign that this government is lost.
“Intelligence heads – it’s not their jobs to deliver good news, they deliver bad news, and their job is to warn the government of challenges ahead. So, to not have the head of ASIS and the head of ASIO in the room is very concerning. It’s a reckless decision,” Hastie added.
