Intelligence and the function of government

Intelligence plays an important, albeit often hidden hand, in the everyday function of government. Australia’s intelligence agencies-collectively referred to as the Australian Intelligence Community (AIC)-are an established and fundamental component of the bureaucracy- they keep watch on potential problems in the name of national security, exploit weaknesses in the name of national interests, and build a picture of the complexities of the broader world for their consumers-other domestic government departments, partner intelligence agencies overseas and, most importantly, Australia’s policy-makers. Their aim is to provide the government with ‘information’-for that is essentially what intelligence is-to better enable it to tackle the issues confronting it; to be better armed, informed and forewarned of what might lay ahead; and to facilitate coherent policy-making. But we should not expect intelligence to be perfect, nor should we think that good intelligence guarantees good policy.

This book draws on a wide range experts including academics, former and current strategic advisers and members of government, private industry professionals and intelligence community experts, to provide a diagnostic, clear-eyed approach in explaining, accessing and exposing the central foundations and frameworks necessary for effective practice of intelligence in Australia as well as the shaping of intelligence expectations.