The Office of National Assessments (ONA) is an Australian government intelligence agency responsible for the analysis of intelligence data concerning foreign powers. The ONA reports directly to the Prime Minister of Australia. As of 2005, ONA had 60 staff, including 40 analysts. // Australia is a constitutional monarchy, a federation and a parliamentary democracy. ... An intelligence agency is a governmental organization devoted to gathering of information by means of espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

ONA is a strategic intelligence producer, in that its reports are generally designed to assist the Australian Government in strategic decision making and ensure that government is fully briefed on emergent threats both in the South East Asian region and globally.

Although not a secretive organisation, ONA usually attracts little attention. However, a striking exception occurred in 2001 when the Prime Minister, John Howard publicly relied upon an ONA assessment to support his claims about asylum seekers on the MV Tampa, in an incident which became known as the "Tampa affair". The ONA assessment was later leaked to the public in its entirety, showing that the assessment was ultimately based on nothing more than press releases from various government ministers. 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian politician and the countrys 25th and current Prime Minister. ... The MV Tampa is a Norwegian cargo ship that was at the center of a diplomatic dispute between Australia, Norway, and Indonesia off the coast of Christmas Island. ... A news release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value. ...

In 2003, in the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, an ONA intelligence officer named Andrew Wilkie resigned from the agency, citing pressure from the Australian government to exaggerate intelligence on the matter of Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article covers invasion specifics. ... Andrew Wilkie resigned from the Australian intelligence services in March 2003 in opposition to the misuse of intelligence during the Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... Iraq and weapons of mass destruction concerns the Iraqi governments use, possession, and alleged intention of acquiring more types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) during the reign of Saddam Hussein. ...

ONA has experienced substantial growth since the release of the report in intelligence agencies by Phillip Flood which recommended a doubling of the agency's budget and formalisation of the agency's role as a coordinator and evaluator of the other Australian intelligence agencies.

See also

• Australian intelligence agencies

Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

External links

• Office of National Assessments home page

Australian intelligence agencies

ASIS | ASIO | ONA | Defence Intelligence Group (consisting of: DIGO | DIO | DSD) Australian government intelligence agencies include the following bodies. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... The Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) is the Australian government intelligence agency responsible for collecting foreign intelligence, undertaking counter-intelligence activities and cooperation with other intelligence agencies overseas. ... The official crest of ASIO The ASIO logo The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is the domestic security agency of Australia which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage (especially sabotage of critical infrastructure), politically motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system... The Australian Defence Intelligence Group, which comes under the auspices of the Deputy Secretary for Intelligence and Security, is an affiliation of three Australian defence intelligence agencies. ... The Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO) is a Australian government agency responsible for the tasking (collection), exploitation (analysis), and dissemination (distribution) of geospatial intelligence (GEOINT). ... The Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) is one of Australias intelligence agencies, providing assessment of intelligence obtained by other Australian and cooperating foreign intelligence agencies, supporting Defence and Government decision_making and the planning and conduct of Australian Defence Force operations. ... The Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) is Australias signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection agency. ...

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