The Abbott assault is driving change with the elevation of Creepy Pete to anti-terror Tsar:
The department of Home Affairs will bring together domestic spy agency ASIO, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Border Force, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, AUSTRAC and the office of transport security and will be put together over the next year.
And Mr Turnbull has also announced the government would, in response to the L’Estrange review of Australia’s intelligence agencies, establish an Office of National Intelligence and that the Australian Signals Directorate will also be established as an independent statutory authority.
The new Office of National Intelligence will co-ordinate intelligence policy and is in line with agencies in Australia’s “Five Eyes” intelligence partners in the US, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.
Mr Turnbull was joined by Mr Peter Dutton – the big winner from the shake up – and Attorney-General George Brandis and Justice Minister Michael Keenan.
The changes are to be finalised by June 30, 2018 – subject to approval of the National Security Committee of Cabinet – with Mr Dutton to work with Senator Brandis in bedding down the changes.
There was no reason for this. The departments were working fine as is. It’s likely another symbolic sop for the Coalition loons.
So far we’ve had this and Turnbull’s weekend speech defending coal which may lead into public money for a power station or two strategically positioned in One Nation electorates.
Presumably the PM is hoping to silence the pond so his polls might improve.
It isn’t going to work unless he grabs the live wires of immigration.
