March 18, 2024
The Albanese government is facing severe backlash over its controversial decision to shun intelligence chiefs from permanent positions on the National Security Committee of Cabinet.
The decision to remove the heads of ASIO and ASIS from the key security body was revealed on Monday night by Sky News Australia host Sharri Markson.
It comes amid a continuing deterioration the relationship between the intelligence community and the government.
While permanent features in meetings of the NSC under the Coalition government, the two intelligence chiefs will now be invited to provide advice on a case-by-case basis, Sky News understands.
The two leading figures in the intelligence community, currently ASIO boss Mike Burgess and ASIS Director-General Kerri Hartland, provide classified advice to the government on high-level security issues.
Their removal from the regular NSC meetings has immediately drawn the ire of two senior Coalition frontbenchers who panned the decision as “reckless”.
Shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie said the move indicated the government was “lost” on national security.
“It’s a warning sign flashing red for me,” Mr Hastie told Sky News Australia on Monday.
“When you’re kicking the intelligence heads of the committee that is responsible for national security in government that’s a big big warning sign that this government is lost.”
Mr Hastie said the chiefs of ASIO and ASIS were responsible for delivering “bad news” ahead of time to governments and that their absence could have a tangible effect on national security.
“To not have the head of ASIS and the head of ASIO in the room is very concerning, it’s a reckless decision,” he said.
Shadow home affairs minister James Paterson said the decision essentially silenced the “best advice” available in the halls of government.
“It is very concerning to hear that the Albanese government has removed intelligence and security agency heads from the critical committee of government considering national security matters,” he told Sky News Australia.
“They should have available the best advice from our expert agencies when making decisions in the national interest, but that’s pretty hard if they are not in the room.
“No wonder this government has been so weak and incompetent on national security. They should reverse this reckless decision urgently.”
The decision is understood to have come from the powerful head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Glyn Davis.
The intelligence community is also growing increasingly concerned about the approach taken by the Albanese Government on national security, Sky News Australia can reveal.
Asked why ASIO and ASIS had been removed from the National Security Committee of Cabinet, an Albanese Government spokesperson said: "We don't comment on matters relating to national security."
An ASIO spokesman said: "membership of cabinet committees is a matter for government".
Mr Davis’s decision has also left him open to questions with Cameron Milner, former chief of staff to then Labor leader Bill Shorten, blasting the senior bureaucrat.
“So Glyn Davis, who's a mate of China … he stays on the committee but our actual professional heads of intelligence, who you would think would have to be in every single meeting, they’re there by invitation,” Mr Milner told Sky News Australia.
Former press secretary to prime minister Scott Morrison, Andrew Carswell, said the decision “says a lot of Anthony Albanese” and the key figures at NSC.
“Anthony Albanese sees this, sees his role as the genius here. Penny Wong and him are the geniuses here, they know more about this,” Mr Carswell said.
“But when you take intelligence out of the room, all you're left with is ideology.”
