ONI is the only intelligence assessment agency in the world with statutory independence protecting the integrity of its analysis. We owe this to Justice Robert Hope, whose first Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security (1974-77) recommended the formation of an independent agency to provide intelligence assessments on political, strategic and economic issues directly to the Prime Minister.
A Short History of ONA/ONI
Short History of ONA
1974
1977
ONI’s forerunner, ONA, was established by the Office of National Assessments Act 1977.
1978
We began operations on 20 February 1978. The inaugural Director-General Robert Furlonger (1977-81) was a former Ambassador to Indonesia and head of the old Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO). The creation of ONA saw it assume JIO's foreign intelligence assessment role, fulfilling the Hope Royal Commission's recommendation that intelligence analysis should take place outside policy departments. Furlonger was determined that ONA would be a broad, outwardly engaged and intellectually curious organisation.
Michael Cook, our second Director-General, cemented ONA's place in government during the last decade of the Cold War. With a fierce intellect and a firm leadership style, Cook went on to be Australia's Ambassador to the USA.
1983
In the second Hope Royal Commission (1983-84), Justice Hope recognised that ONA had proven itself as an impartial producer of intelligence assessments. He also recommended the establishment of the National Intelligence Committee (now the National Intelligence Coordination Committee) to advise the Director-General on the Government's intelligence priorities and assist in the programming of ONA's analytical work.
1990
At the outbreak of the first Gulf War in 1990, ONA was operating under the direction of Geoffrey Miller (1989-95). The 1990s posed many challenges for analysts working on developments in the Middle East (particularly Iraq), in Europe following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Yugoslav Wars, and concerning Australia's commitments to United Nations' peacekeeping efforts throughout the world.
1995
The late 1990s saw the appointments of Philip Flood (1995–96), Richard J. Smith (1996–98) and Kim Jones (1998–2003) as Directors-General.
2004
Philip Flood's 2004 inquiry into the effectiveness of Australia's intelligence apparatus recommended that ONA be doubled in size and its mandate to coordinate and evaluate Australia's foreign intelligence activities be strengthened. The appointment of Peter Varghese (2004–09) as Director-General coincided with the expansion of ONA's staffing to about 150. At the same time, the collection and analysis of open source intelligence became one of ONA's core functions.
The scope of ONA's work continued to broaden to meet the needs of government in the 21st century as new themes and issues emerged.
2011
Under Allan Gyngell (2009–13), we moved into our own purpose-built office after thirty years housed within Defence facilities and then ASIO's headquarters. Opened by Prime Minister Gillard on 5 December 2011, the new building was named after Justice Hope.
2016
The Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP announced the creation of an Independent Intelligence Review. This was a wide-reaching review and resulted in a series of recommendations to expand the National Intelligence Community and create an Office of National Intelligence out of the existing ONA.
2017
Former Director-General of ASIS, Nick Warner, was appointed as Director-General of ONA in 2017, setting in motion the transition of ONA to its new role as ONI.
ONI (and previous ONA) reports released under the Open Access program are available through the National Archives.
2018
Office of National Intelligence Act passed by Parliament on 27 November. ONI commences 20 December.