PM defends excluding intelligence chiefs from national security meetings

Anthony Albanese has in a fiery exchange defended excluding intelligence chiefs from National Security Committee meetings during his government’s first term. The heads of Australia’s domestic and foreign intelligence agencies were made non-permanent members of the NSC in 2023 and only attended meetings on a case-by-case basis. They were reinstated as permanent members in 2024 after their exclusion sparked widespread criticism. With intelligence and policing services facing heavy scrutiny in the wake of the deadly December 14 Bondi terror attack, the Prime Minister was on Friday asked if he had made a mistake by excluding the spy chiefs. “The premise of the question is wrong,” Mr Albanese told the ABC. “We have completely engaged with all of the national security (agencies).” He was pressed further, with it put to him that ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess did not sit in national security committee meetings for two years. Mr Albanese did not deny that but pointed out the journalist peppering him was not at the meetings and that he was. “What Mike Burgess didn’t do was sit through all of the meetings when we were doing the AUKUS arrangements,” he said. “But any time that there was anything to do with intelligence or anything else, Mike Burgess is always in the room – every single occasion.” Mr Albanese last month announced a departmental probe into the country’s intelligence agencies and police forces to ensure information was flowing as needed. Many have questioned how the Bondi suspects, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed, stayed under the radar of counter-terrorism watchers. Sajid Akram, who was killed in the police response, had amassed six firearms since acquiring his gun licence in 2013. Six years later, intelligence officers looked into Naveed for consorting with members of an Islamic State cell in Sydney. He fell off their radar despite frequenting an Islamic centre in Sydney’s west infamous for extremist preachings. That centre was shut down late last year after the local council found it did not hold necessary permits. Mr Albanese picked respected former public servant Dennis Richardson to lead the review. Separately, NSW Premier Chris Minns said his government was reserving the right to appoint an “independent person” to potentially probe security arrangements, particularly advice from the Jewish security service CSG to NSW Police and the potential arming of CSG employees. “I don’t want that to read that we’ve got any concerns about our Commonwealth royal commission,” he said. “It’s just that there are certain issues that are particular to NSW, particularly in relation to police activity on the day, the number of police, ongoing security for the Jewish community, that might require a quicker determination, and I reserve the right to do that.” Probe must examine schools, arts sector: Lesser Berowra MP and Jewish Australian Julian Leeser urged the royal commission to probe alleged anti-Semitism on university campuses, in the arts sector, and in the Australian Human Rights Commission if it “wanted to be taken seriously”. The Coalition this week proposed wide-reaching terms for its proposed royal commission, which would seek to examine not only security arrangements, but the university, arts, and cultural sectors, as well as the media. Mr Leeser released a statement on Friday in which he he said he had called for a judicial inquiry into anti-Semitism on university campuses in November 2023 and that, since his appointment as shadow spokesperson for education, it had become “clear” universities had not grappled with anti-Semitism. He went on to claim Jewish creatives had also faced doxxing, de-platforming, and disrespect. “A Royal Commission which does not examine anti-Semitism in the arts and cultural sector cannot be taken seriously,” he said. “These matters are within the scope of the terms of reference. The royal commission not only has the power to examine these matters it also has the duty to do so. “These matters must be given the time, depth and dignity that they deserve. “A royal commission that does not properly examine the university, arts and human rights sector will fail in its charter.” ‘Dragged kicking and screaming’ The Richardson Review was met with concern its scope would not properly interrogate anti-Semitism – the root of the Bondi attack. Hundreds of prominent political, business, security, legal and sports figures joined Jewish groups and victims’ families in penning multiple open letters urging Mr Albanese to call a royal commission. After weeks of resisting the calls and saying a federal royal commission was not needed, Mr Albanese on Thursday caved and announced he would call one. In announcing it, he said it would investigate the prevalence of anti-Semitism in Australia, make recommendations to assist law enforcement, immigration, and border control, and explore the circumstances surrounding the Bondi attack, including information sharing and security arrangements. The opposition has welcomed a Commonwealth royal commission but remained critical of Mr Albanese for not calling one earlier. Speaking to media during a visit to flood-hit northwest Queensland, Sussan Ley said Mr Albanese was “dragged, kicking and screaming”. “It’s not our preferred model … however, we have what we have,” she said. Ms Ley said she believed if Mr Albanese “had shown the determination to eradicate anti-Semitism over the last three years as he has shown to avoid this Commonwealth royal commission over the last three weeks, the country might not be in such a tough place right now”. After lambasting Mr Albanese, she went on to say it was important to recognise the “fight and determination” that went into getting the result. “So yes, he has been dragged kicking and screaming to this point but it is a day to recognise the advocacy of Australians,” she said. ‘I have listened’ Mr Albanese was grilled on his backflip as he undertook his morning show blitz on Friday. He stuck closely to his message that the decision was the product of careful consideration and that the overwhelming demands for a royal commission had not forced his hand. “I have listened to people, we have considered everyone’s position,” Mr Albanese told the ABC, adding that he was “very pleased that it’s been welcomed across the political spectrum”. “At no stage have I engaged in political rhetoric during this period. “What I have done is engage and sit down with families. “I’ve listened to them, I’ve sat down in people’s homes, I’ve had people to Kirribilli House, we’ve had people to Admiralty House. “Even on New Year’s Eve, we sat down and discussed with families, with rabbis.” He said he had also “engaged with others as well about social cohesion and how we build it going forward”. “And I’ve determined that this is the right way forward,” he said. Other senior government ministers fronting media on Thursday morning echoed Mr Albanese, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles saying that “in speaking with the community, in speaking with the families of victims, it is clear that a Royal Commission has a very significant role to play in bringing the country together and ensuring that the community is heard”. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland – who is at the centre of complex snap laws being drafted in response to the Bondi attack – said the government had “taken time to get this right” and “listened to people” rather than play politics. Both were asked if Mr Albanese had got it wrong in delaying calling a royal commission, but it was levelled at Mr Marles that he himself had been “dishonest” in previously saying it was not needed. Mr Marles in December dismissed a royal commission as taking too long. Talking to 2GB, he refused to admit he was wrong when asked point blank. “Our concern was around time, and royal commissions do generally take years, but this will be a fast royal commission, and we’ve wanted to get it right,” Mr Marles said. “I’d be the first to say we have listened, and … listening to people is what has seen the change in the position that we have put it put forward.”