Intelligence

Spies big winners from budget (Australia)

By Max Blenkin
11may04

THE nation's spies are among the big budget winners with the Government allocating more than $750 million over the next five years to boost national security.

The key domestic intelligence agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) will receive $127 million more over the next four years to take on more staff and boost technical capabilities.
Australia's intelligence agencies have faced strident criticism over their reporting of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction plus claims of political interference and errors in their advice to government. Attorney General Philip Ruddock said ASIO would also receive an extra $7.4 million over the next two years to fund security measures for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth games.

"The Government is committed to ensuring that our security agencies have the authority and the resources to do their work properly," he said.

ASIO currently has a budget of $89 million and staff of more than 600.

Prime Minister John Howard last week revealed the key elements of the budget spending on security agencies with the overseas intelligence service, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) to receive $45.6 million to strengthen counter-terrorism capabilities while the Office of national Assessment will receive an extra $7.6 million.

Defence will receive $54.5 million over the next four years to employ more analysts in the Defence Intelligence Organisation as well as to enhance the capabilities of the Defence Signals Directorate and the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation.

Defence will also host regional special forces commanders and counter-terrorism policy officials, presumably including members of Indonesia's controversial Kopassus special forces, at a counter-terrorism conference next month.

Mr Ruddock detailed a broad range of measures aimed at enhancing national security.

That includes funding of $36 million to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) for ongoing tracking of criminal and terrorist money trails plus $6.2 million to continue the work of the national security hotline.

He said the Government would also provide $36.8 million to enhance the overseas response and investigative capacity of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) which also receives $21.4 million to fund a continuing presence in Melanesia .

Building on the successful joint Indonesian-AFP investigation of the Bali bombing, Australia wil contribute $29.6 million to establish the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation.

The Government will also spend $19.3 million for improving diplomatic protection and for purchase of new armoured vehicles used for transporting VIPs including the prime minister.

Customs is to receive $2.8 million to enable it to board up to 80 per cent of all vessels at their first port of arrival in Australia – up from the current level of 70 per cent.

May 12, 2004 at 10:40 AM in Espionage - general | Permalink | TrackBack (28) | Top of page | Blog Home