View source for Defence Intelligence Organisation

{{Short description|Australian military intelligence agency}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{more footnotes|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name      = Defence Intelligence Organisation
| nativename       = 
| logo             = 
| logo_width       = 
| logo_caption     = 
| seal             = Defence Intelligence Organisation logo.png
| seal_width       = 180px
| seal_caption     =
| formed           = {{start date and age|df=yes|1990}}
| date1            = 
| date1_name       = 
| date2            = 
| date2_name       =
| preceding1       = Joint Intelligence Organisation
| preceding2       = Joint Intelligence Bureau
| dissolved        =
| superseding      =
| jurisdiction     =
| headquarters     = [[Russell Offices]], [[Canberra]]
| employees        =
| budget           = 
| chief1_name      = [[Lieutenant general (Australia)|Lieutenant General]] [[Gavan Reynolds]]
| chief1_position  = [[Chief of Defence Intelligence (Australia)|Chief of Defence Intelligence]]
| chief2_name      = [[Major General]] Matthew Hall
| chief2_position  = Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation
| parent_agency    = Defence Intelligence Group
| website          = {{URL|defence.gov.au/dio/}}
| footnotes        = 
}}
The '''Defence Intelligence Organisation''' ('''DIO''') is an [[Government of Australia|Australian government]] [[military intelligence|military]] [[intelligence agency]] responsible for [[strategic intelligence]] and [[technical intelligence]] assessments, advising defence and government decision-making on [[national security]] and international security issues, and the planning and conduct of [[Australian Defence Force]] operations. The DIO does not collect intelligence or conduct covert action, but  works on defence economics, transnational terrorism, and [[weapons of mass destruction|WMD]].

The DIO is an agency of the [[Australian Intelligence Community]] and is part of the Defence Intelligence Group (DIG) with the [[Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation]] (AGO). The head of DIO is the Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation, currently [[Major General]] Matthew Hall.

== History ==
=== Joint Intelligence Bureau ===
In the post-World War II period, the military intelligence and strategic assessments functions were shared between the Navy, Army and Air Force intelligence directorates and the Joint Intelligence Bureau (JIB) from 1947 to 1969. JIB was responsible for geographic, infrastructure and economic intelligence – mainly in Australia's region. In 1957, JIB's responsibilities were expanded to include scientific and technical intelligence.

=== Joint Intelligence Organisation ===
{{Main|Joint Intelligence Organisation (Australia)}}
In 1969, most of the foreign assessment elements of the three armed services were merged to form the Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO).<ref name=NAA1533>{{citation|title=CA 1533: Defence Intelligence Organisation|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+1533|publisher=National Archives of Australia|access-date=27 April 2016}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The [[Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security]] (also called the first Hope Commission) in 1977 recommended the establishment of the [[Office of National Assessments]] (ONA) as an independent statutory agency to provide all-source assessments on international political, strategic and economic developments to the Prime Minister and to assume the foreign intelligence assessment role of JIO. JIO was then reoriented to focus more closely on defence intelligence and strategic interests. The second Hope Commission endorsed these arrangements in 1984. In 1989, counterterrorism was added to JIO's responsibilities.

==Overview==
A review of Defence intelligence in 1989 by [[Major General (Australia)|Major General]] [[John Baker (General)|John Baker]] led to the establishment in 1990 of the Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) as the  sole strategic level, all-source intelligence assessment agency for the Department of Defence. Baker became the first Director of DIO in 1990 until 1992.

DIO is the strategic-level, all-source intelligence assessment agency for the Department of Defence. It is not an autonomous body; unlike ONA, DIO is a subordinate organisation within the Department of Defence with no separate statutory mandate or direct budget line. The organisation's character and purpose is defined by its position within the Defence portfolio.

DIO is an integrated civilian–military organisation, with the majority of staff being public servants recruited through either the defence graduate program or direct entry.

== Operations ==
DIO's assessments focus on the Asia-Pacific region and cover strategic, political, defence, military, economic, scientific and technical areas. DIO's intelligence products help inform decisions about Australia's military activities at home and abroad, defence acquisition processes, force readiness decisions, strategic policy, international relations and defence scientific developments.

DIO also maintains close links with intelligence agencies of other allied countries. In addition, it maintains links with intelligence agencies of a range of other countries to foster dialogue and the exchange of information and as a contribution to defence relationships with regional countries.

Australian troops deploying to Afghanistan and Iraq were briefed by DIO on enemy weapons and forces.

== Directors ==
The position of Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation is a [[two-star rank]] position.

{| class="wikitable"
! Title/Rank !! Name !! Postnominals !! Term
|-
| colspan="4" align="center" style="background:white;" | '''Director Joint Intelligence Bureau'''
|-
| Mr || Allan Fleming || {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|CBE}} || 1947–1949
|-
| Commander || Arthur Storey || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|DSCuk}} || 1949–1952
|-
| Major General || [[Walter Cawthorn|Sir Walter Cawthorn]] || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|sep=,|CB|CIE|CBE}} || 1952–1954
|-
| Mr || W. Harold King || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|MBE}} || 1954–1968
|-
| Mr || Arthur McMichael || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|OBE}} || 1968–1969
|-
| colspan="4" align="center" style="background:white;" | '''Director Joint Intelligence Organisation'''
|-
| Mr || Robert Furlonger || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|CB}} || 1969–1972
|-
| Mr || [[Gordon Jockel]] || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|CBE}} || 1972–1978
|-
| Mr || Arthur McMichael || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|OBE}} || 1978–1982
|-
| Mr || [[Jim Furner]] || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|CBE}} || 1982–1984
|-
| Mr || G.R. Marshall ||  || 1984–1987
|-
| Dr || [[Paul Dibb]] ||  || 1987–1988
|-
| Major General || [[John Baker (general)|John Baker]] || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO}} || 1989–1990
|-
| colspan="4" align="center" style="background:white;" | '''Director Defence Intelligence Organisation'''
|-
| Major General || John Baker || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO}} || 1990–1992
|-
| Major General || [[John Hartley (general)|John Hartley]] || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO}} || 1992–1995
|-
| Major General || James Connolly || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO}} || 1995–1996
|-
| Major General || William Crews || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO}} || 1997–1999
|-
| Mr || Frank Lewincamp || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|PSM}} || 1999–2005
|-
| Major General || Maurie McNarn || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO}} || 2005–2009
|-
| Major General || [[Richard Wilson (general)|Richard Wilson]] || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO}} || 2009–2011
|-
| Major General || [[Paul Symon]] || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO}} || 2011–2014
|-
| Air Vice Marshal || John McGarry || {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100|sep=,|AM|CSC}} || 2014–2016
|-
| Major General || Matthew Hall || {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|sep=,|AO|CSC}} ||  2017–2021
|}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Australia}}
* [[Australian Intelligence Community]]
* [[Australian Signals Directorate]]
* [[Australian Security Intelligence Organisation]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.defence.gov.au/dio/index.html DIO home page]
*[http://www.defence.gov.au/dio/about.html About DIO]
*[http://www.openaustralia.org/search/?s=DIO Open Australia Search]: Parliamentary records mentioning DIO.

{{Military intelligence agencies}}
{{Australian intelligence agencies}}
{{Australian Defence Force}}
{{Five Eyes}}
{{Australian Government Agencies and Bodies}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Australian intelligence agencies]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Government agencies of Australia]]
[[Category:1990 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 1990]]
[[Category:Defence Strategic Policy and Intelligence Group]]