[Australia]: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

[Owen]

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Headquarters​

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Andrew Fisher Building, Barton, Australian Capital Territory​

Ministers​

Office(s):	Officeholder:	Image:
Prime Minister	The Honourable Julia Gillard, MP
Deputy Prime Minister	The Honourable Wayne Swan, MP
Minister for Women	The Honourable Tanya Plibersek, MP
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs	The Honourable Senator Nova Peris
Minister for the Public Service Cabinet Secretary	The Honourable Robert McClelland, MP
Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister	The Honourable Senator Dr. Ursula Stephens
Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet	Terry Moran, AO
National Security Adviser	Michelle Chan

Prime Minister's Office

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Overview​

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO), also known as the Office of the Prime Minister, is the private office of the Prime Minister of Australia that provides political advice and executive support to the Prime Minister. The PMO is led by the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff and Principal Private Secretary and is composed of ministerial advisers assisting with party politics, media relations, and political strategy. The organisational structure and staffing arrangements of the Prime Minister's Office changed with the personal preferences, political interests, and strategic priorities of the Prime Minister of the day. The PMO also seconds Departmental Liaison Officers from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to enable engagement for the flow of advice, correspondence, submissions and other communications to and from the PMO and PM&C.

Office:	Officeholder:	Image:
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister	David Epstein
Principal Private Secretary	Yaron Finkelstein

International and Security Group

Overview​

The International and Security Group of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, led by the Deputy Secretary for International and Security, provides advice on Australia's foreign, trade and treaty matters, defence, intelligence, non-proliferation, counter-terrorism, law enforcement, border security and emergency management matters, coordinates security-related science and technology research matters, and plays a co-ordinating leadership role in the development of integrated, whole-of-government national security policy. The International and Security Group comprises two divisions each led by a First Assistant Secretary.

Policy Divisions​

Division:	Role:	Branches:
International Divison	Provides advice, co-ordination and leadership on Australia's foreign, trade, aid and treaty matters and priorities, including bilateral relations, relationships with regional and international organisations, free trade negotiations and whole-of-government priorities for the overseas aid program.	South Asia, South-East Asia, Americas and the Middle East Branch North Asia, Europe, Pacific, Africa and Trade Branch
National Security Division	Provides advice, co-ordination and leadership on integrated, whole-of-government policy matters, priorities and strategy in the areas of military operations, defence strategy, domestic security and critical infrastructure protection.	Defence Branch Domestic Security Branch

Committee:	Members:	Subcommittees:
Secretaries Committee on National Security	Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Terry Moran Secretary of the Department of Defence, Nick Warner Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Michael L'Estrange Secretary of the Department of the Treasury, Ken Henry Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, Andrew Metcalfe Director-General of the Office of National Intelligence, Peter Varghese Director-General of Security, Mike Burgess Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, David Irvine Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation, Major General Maurie McNarn Director of the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation, Maria Fernandez Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate, Rachel Noble Chief of the Defence Force, General Peter Cosgrove Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, Commissioner Tony Negus Commissioner of the Australian Border Force, Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, John Lawler Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, Elizabeth Montano	Heads of Intelligence Agencies Meeting
National Intelligence Coordination Committee	Deputy Secretary (International and Security) of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Graham Fletcher (Chair) Director-General of the Office of National Intelligence, Peter Varghese (Deputy Chair) Deputy Secretary (Bilateral Relations) of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Elizabeth Peak Deputy Secretary (Strategic Policy and Intelligence) of the Department of Defence, Rebecca Skinner Deputy Secretary (Intelligence and Capability) of the Department of Home Affairs, Nathan Smyth Deputy Secretary (Integrity and International) of the Attorney-General's Department, Simon Newnham Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, David Irvine Director-General of Security, Mike Burgess Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate, Rachel Noble Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation, Major General Maurie McNarn Director of the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation, Maria Fernandez Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, Commissioner Tony Negus Commissioner of the Australian Border Force, Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, John Lawler Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, Elizabeth Montano	National Intelligence Collection Management Committee National Intelligence Open Source Committee Foreign Intelligence Coordination Committee

National Intelligence Community

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Overview​

The National Intelligence Community is an agile, integrated and data-driven intelligence enterprise that meets the challenges presented by Australia’s evolving strategic and security environment. Agencies collaborate on missions, to develop joint capabilities and shared services, with a particular focus on common technology, workforce and professional development capabilities. Agencies also provide integrated advice to the Government on intelligence priorities, requirements, performance and resourcing. The National Security Strategy includes six core intelligence agencies in the Australian Intelligence Community (AIC), and defines the National Intelligence Community (NIC) as comprising the Australian Intelligence Community and further policy departments and other government agencies.

Australian Intelligence Community Agencies​

Logo	Agency:	Department:	Agency Head:	Size (CLASSIFIED):	Role:
	Office of National Intelligence	Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet	Director-General Peter Varghese	150	Intelligence assessment, Open-source intelligence (OSINT)
	Australian Security Intelligence Organisation	Department of Home Affairs	Director-General Mike Burgess	2,000	Human intelligence (HUMINT), Counterintelligence, Security Agency
	Australian Secret Intelligence Service	Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade	Director-General David Irvine	1,300	Human intelligence (HUMINT)
	Australian Signals Directorate	Department of Defence	Director-General Rachel Noble	1,900	Signals intelligence (SIGINT)
	Defence Intelligence Organisation	Department of Defence	Director Major General Maurie McNarn	650	Strategic intelligence (STRATINT), Technical intelligence (TECHINT)
	Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation	Department of Defence	Director Maria Fernandez	1,000	Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), Imagery intelligence (IMINT)

Other National Intelligence Community Agencies​

Logo	Agency:	Department:	Agency Head:	Size:	Role:
	Australian Federal Police	Department of Home Affairs	Commissioner Tony Negus	7,300	All-source intelligence
	Australian Border Force	Department of Home Affairs	Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg	6,300	All-source intelligence
	Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission	Department of Home Affairs	Chief Executive Officer John Lawler	800	Criminal intelligence (CRIMINT)
	Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre	Department of Home Affairs	Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Montano	300	Financial intelligence (FININT)

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Office of National Intelligence

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Overview​

The Office of National Intelligence (ONI) is an Australian statutory intelligence agency responsible for advising the Prime Minister and National Security Committee, the production of all-source intelligence assessments, and the strategic development and enterprise management of the National Intelligence Community. The ONI is directly accountable to the Prime Minister of Australia as a portfolio agency of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. ONI is the Australian equivalent of the United States Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the United Kingdom Joint Intelligence Organisation. ONI also plays a coordination role in the National Intelligence Community through evaluating foreign intelligence products, convening the National Intelligence Committee, and developing relationships with intelligence agencies around world. ONI also collects and analyses open-source intelligence (OSINT).

Headquarters​

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Robert Marsden Hope Building, Barton, Australian Capital Territory​

Office:	Officeholder:	Image:
Director-General of the Office of National Intelligence	Peter Varghese

Personnel

Type:	Amount:
Intelligence Agents	150

Director-General of the Office of National Intelligence (Peter Varghese)

Enterprise Management Group

Unit:	Size:	Base:
Executive and Foreign Intelligence Coordination Branch	10x Intelligence Agents	Robert Marsden Hope Building, Canberra
Washington Liaison	5x Intelligence Agents	Embassy of Australia, Washington D.C.
London Liaison	5x Intelligence Agents	High Commission of Australia, London

Assessments Group

Unit:	Size:	Base:
Open Source Centre	20x Intelligence Agents	Robert Marsden Hope Building, Canberra
North Asia Branch	20x Intelligence Agents	Robert Marsden Hope Building, Canberra
South East Asia Branch	20x Intelligence Agents	Robert Marsden Hope Building, Canberra
South Asia and Middle East Branch	20x Intelligence Agents	Robert Marsden Hope Building, Canberra
Oceania Branch	20x Intelligence Agents	Robert Marsden Hope Building, Canberra
International Economy Branch	10x Intelligence Agents	Robert Marsden Hope Building, Canberra
Transnational Issues Branch	10x Intelligence Agents	Robert Marsden Hope Building, Canberra
Strategic Analysis Branch	10x Intelligence Agents	Robert Marsden Hope Building, Canberra

Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security

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Overview​

The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) is an independent statutory office holder in the Commonwealth of Australia responsible for reviewing the activities of the six intelligence agencies which collectively comprise the Australian Intelligence Community (AIC). With own motion powers in addition to considering complaints or requests from ministers, IGIS is a key element of the accountability regime for Australia’s intelligence and security agencies. The Office of the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security is situated within the Prime Minister’s portfolio for administrative purposes, but as an independent statutory office holder, the IGIS is not subject to general direction from the Prime Minister on how the functions under the IGIS Act should be carried out. The role and functions of the IGIS are set out in sections 8, 9 and 9A of the IGIS Act. These sections of the IGIS Act provide a legal basis for the IGIS to conduct regular inspections of the AIC agencies and to conduct inquiries, of varying levels of formality, as the need arises. The functions of the Inspector‑General do not include inquiring into the matters to which a complaint made to the Inspector‑General by an employee of an agency relates to the extent that those matters are directly related to the promotion, termination of appointment, discipline or remuneration of the complainant or to other matters relating to the complainant’s employment. The IGIS: Regularly visits agencies to check their records Conducts special inquiries into agency activities Investigates complaints about the agencies, and Reports the results of inquiries to Ministers, the Prime Minister and the Parliament. The overarching purpose of these activities is to ensure that each AIC agency acts legally and with propriety, complies with ministerial guidelines and directives, and respects human rights. The majority of the resources of the office are directed towards on-going inspection and monitoring activities, so as to identify issues or concerns before they develop into major problems which then require remedial action. The inspection role of the IGIS is complemented by the Inspector-General’s inquiry function. In undertaking inquiries the Inspector-General has very strong investigative powers, akin to those of a Royal Commission. Inquiries are conducted in private because they frequently involve highly classified or sensitive information, and the methods by which it is collected. The public ventilation of this material would be potentially very harmful to those persons involved in its collection, or compromise collection, neither of which would serve the national interest. The AIC agencies are also subject to review by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security as well as the Australian National Audit Office. Certain ASIO assessments can be appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a merits review of a decision. Proceedings can also be instituted against AIC agencies in the Courts.

Office:	Officeholder:	Image:
Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security	Dr. Vivienne Thom, AM