Appointment of recent Director-General of National Intelligence

I’m happy to announce that the Governor-General has agreed to the appointment of Ms Kathy Klugman as the subsequent Director-General of National Intelligence, the top of the Office of National Intelligence.

Ms Klugman will take up her appointment when the present Director-General, Mr Andrew Shearer completes his time period of appointment.

Ms Klugman is the primary lady to steer the Office of National Intelligence or its predecessor the Office of National Assessments.

Ms Klugman has had a distinguished profession within the Australian Public Service holding senior positions within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. She has had a specific concentrate on the Indo-Pacific area and served as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.

As a Deputy Secretary at DFAT, she led the Department’s Development and Multilateral Group and oversaw Australia’s Centre for Regional Health Security and chaired the Department’s Aid Governance Board.

Before that, Ms Klugman led the Pacific Division of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and oversaw the institution of the expanded Office of the Pacific in DFAT, charged with advancing Australia’s Pacific Step Up.  She held senior positions protecting coverage and technique for Southeast Asia and South Asia, together with as Australia’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. She led the International Division of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Ms Klugman was most not too long ago Principal Adviser to the Prime Minister, International, a place she has held since 2022.

I wish to thank Mr Shearer for his important contribution as Director General since 2020. I’m happy that he agreed to proceed to serve the Australian folks in a brand new capability.