The Australian Intelligence Community has been active since the Second World War. The timeline below highlights key dates in its history.
Defence Signals Bureau (now ASD) established
Australian Intelligence Community Timeline
AIC Timeline
1946
1949
Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) established
1952
Australian Secret Intelligence Service ( ASIS) established
1954
- The Petrov Affair
- Royal Commission on Espionage
1969
Department of Defence's Joint Intelligence Organisation (now DIO) established
1974
Hope Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security (1974-78)
1977
- Office of National Assessments Act
- Public acknowledgment of ASIS
1978
- ONA established
- Public acknowledgement of DSD (now ASD)
1979
Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation Act
1983
Second Hope Royal Commission on Australia's Security and Intelligence Agencies (1983-84)
1986
Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act
1994
Commission of Inquiry into the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (1994-95)
2000
Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (now AGO) established after amalgamation of the Australian Imagery Organisation , Directorate of Strategic Military Geographic Information and Defence Topographic Agency
2001
- Intelligence Services Act
- Tampa Inquiry conducted by IGIS (2001-02)
2002
Bali Bombing Inquiry conducted by IGIS
2003
Parliamentary Inquiry into Intelligence on Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (2003-04)
2004
Flood Inquiry into Australian Intelligence Agencies
2004
Amendments to Intelligence Services Act, Office of National Assessments Act, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act and Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act
2008
- Homeland and Border Security Review
- Appointment of National Security Adviser and creation of National Intelligence Coordination Committee
2011
Independent Review of the Intelligence Community. Initiatives to maintain performance and capabilities of the AIC
2015
Department of Defence First Principles Review of Defence released
2016
Defence Strategic Policy and Intelligence Group established
2017
- Independent Intelligence Review. An expanded intelligence enterprise called the National Intelligence Community with new and expanded functions for ONA and its transition to ONI
- Department of Home Affairs formed
- Movement of IGIS to Attorney-General's Portfolio
2018
ONA becomes ONI following passage of legislation
