The Albanese Government has reaffirmed its commitment to national security with a $44.6 million investment over four years to enhance intelligence capabilities, following the findings of the 2024 Independent Intelligence Review.
Commissioned in September 2023, the review was led by Dr Heather Smith PSM and Richard Maude to assess whether Australia’s intelligence agencies are well-positioned to protect the nation’s interests. Their unclassified report, released on 21 Mrach 2025, found that Australia’s National Intelligence Community is highly capable and performing effectively in safeguarding national security.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the review, emphasising the critical role of intelligence agencies in keeping Australians safe. “Our hardworking intelligence agencies are crucial in safeguarding Australia’s national security, and we have full confidence in their capacity,” he said.
“We will continue to invest in capability to ensure Australia’s intelligence community can deal with emerging threats and challenges.”
The review highlighted the agencies’ success in protecting Australia’s national interest but also recommended further investment to maintain high performance across key areas such as economic security, crisis preparedness, and open-source intelligence.
Building on the findings, the Government’s $44.6 million investment in the Office of National Intelligence will support the initial implementation of priority recommendations. This commitment is part of a broader increase in national security funding, with an additional $53 billion allocated since May 2022—bringing the total to $318 billion over four years from 2024-25, up from $265 billion over four years from 2021-22.
The 2024 review also noted the significant progress made since the last independent intelligence review in 2017, including the establishment of the National Intelligence Community and the creation of the Office of National Intelligence to lead and coordinate intelligence efforts.
While details of the specific recommendations will remain classified, in line with past independent intelligence reviews, the Government’s response underscores its ongoing commitment to ensuring Australia can effectively meet future security challenges.
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