On 21 March 2025 the Prime Minister, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, released the unclassified report of the 2024 Independent Intelligence Review.
The review was announced in September 2023 to ensure our intelligence agencies are best positioned to continue to serve the Australian national interest.
The review found agencies have been successful in protecting Australia’s national interest. It recommends investing in further capability to ensure the intelligence community maintains its high performance.
Background
The work of the National Intelligence Community underpins Australia’s national security objectives, including safeguarding Australia’s sovereignty in an increasingly uncertain security environment.
The National Intelligence Community is required to respond in complex and changing circumstances to protect Australia’s security, prosperity and values. Ongoing independent reviews of this nature ensure that our intelligence agencies remain ready to fulfil this mandate, and are aligned to Australia’s national security priorities.
The review focused on the 10 agencies that make up the National Intelligence Community:
- Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
- Australian Federal Police
- Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation
- Australian Secret Intelligence Service
- Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
- Australian Signals Directorate
- Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre
- Defence Intelligence Organisation
- Department of Home Affairs
- Office of National Intelligence.
Independent reviews of this nature have been commissioned periodically, having previously occurred in 2004, 2011, and 2017.
Reviewers and responsibilities
The review was co-led by Dr Heather Smith PSM and Mr Richard Maude, who consulted widely, including through public submissions.
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