Australia: Money for spy agencies shaved (cuted)

Nation's six spook agencies have been dealt a collective budget hit of $81 million over four years including a freeze on plans to increase personnel levels at the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. In 2006-2007, ASIO was slated for a big ramp-up in staff numbers but had trouble meeting personnel targets and the plan has been put on hold, an official from the Attorney-General's Department said yesterday. 

Agencies affected by the staff cuts are ASIO, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, the Office of National Assessments, the Defence Intelligence Organisation, the Defence Signals Directorate and Defence Imaging and Geospatial Organisation. Under the measure -- which has been designed to help in Labor's effort to return the federal budget to a modest surplus -- the intelligence community will be hit by annual across-the-board cuts of $20.4m until 2015-16. Savings will be redirected to support other national intelligence priorities.

MARK DODD
The Australian