Intelligence agencies are spending less on counter-terrorism compared with five years ago despite getting more funding.
Anthony Albanese has defended funding for intelligence services after the royal commission probing last year’s alleged Bondi terror attack revealed agencies have “significantly” reduced counter-terror budgets since 2020.
The Royal Commission on anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion’s interim report found funding for National Intelligence Community (NIC) agencies grew from $10.9bn in 2020-21 to $14.3bn in 2024-25, marking an overall increase of 31 per cent.
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) alone received a 37 per cent bump.
“Upon review of classified material, the commission has observed that despite this overall increase, the proportion of funding allocated to counter-terrorism significantly declined across the NIC over the period from 2020 to 2025,” the report said.
It also noted statements from ASIO chief Mike Burgess that the agency was putting greater focus on counterintelligence – rooting out spies and blocking foreign espionage efforts.
The drop in counter-terror resources was put to the Prime Minister when he fronted News Corp’s Future Western Sydney summit on Friday.
“We were elected in 2022 and what the report shows is that there is increased funding for ASIS, ASIO, the AFP, the Australian Signals Directorate – every single one of our agencies has more funding today than when we were elected,” Mr Albanese said.
Asked if more funding should go towards counter-terrorism specifically, he repeated his pledge to adopt every royal commission recommendation.
Five of the 14 recommendations were classified for national security reasons.
“That’s why you have a reassessment of processes – to take on board,” Mr Albanese said.
“And we have said from the commonwealth, we will support everything that relates to the commonwealth.”
But appearing at the same event later, Angus Taylor said the report made clear “the government allocated money away from counter-terrorism”.
“That was one of the very clear, unambiguous findings of the report,” the Opposition Leader said.
He added that “it’s extraordinary that that could have happened given very clear signals globally and locally” that the October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023 “would increase the risk of terror attacks”.
“So that reallocation that was done by the government was clearly an egregious error,” Mr Taylor said.
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