Capital Jewish Forum briefed by Allan Gyngell
The Office of National Assessments (ONA) Director-General, Mr Allan Gyngell AO, addressed the Capital Jewish Forum (CJF) on ‘Outside/Inside: Reflections on the Australian Intelligence Community’ .
CJF Founder Manny Waks with Allan Gyngell
Following this week’s meeting at Canberra’s Australian National University, CJF founder and director Manny Waks commented: “We are delighted to have had this unique opportunity to hear Mr Gyngell’s first-hand, insightful remarks relating to the intelligence community in Australia. Some of the highlights included his views on the current cooperation between the various intelligence agencies and the challenges of addressing the new threats to Australia.
From a personal perspective, after undertaking a 2005 internship at the Lowy Institute for International Policy under Mr Gyngell’s directorship it was a great opportunity for me to once again engage with, and learn from, Mr Gyngell.”
About the ONA:
ONA was established by the Office of National Assessments Act 1977 as an independent body directly accountable to the Prime Minister. ONA provides all-source assessments on international political, strategic and economic developments to the Prime Minister and senior ministers in the National Security Committee of Cabinet. The Director-General of ONA is an independent statutory officer who is not subject to external direction on the content of ONA assessments.
ONA bases its assessments on information available to the Australian Government from all sources, both inside and outside the Government. It draws on information provided by other intelligence agencies, as well as diplomatic reporting, information and reporting from other government agencies, and material available from open sources such as news media and publications. ONA also consults broadly within government and with experts in other sectors.
About Mr Allan Gyngell AO:
Mr Allan Gyngell was appointed Director-General of the ONA on 13 July 2009. ONA reports directly to the Prime Minister and is responsible for advising the Australian Government on international political, strategic and economic developments affecting Australia’s national interests.
Before his appointment to ONA, Mr Gyngell was the founding Executive
Director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy (2003–09). He has a wide background in international policymaking and analysis and has written and spoken extensively on Australian foreign policy, on Asian regional relations and on the development of global and regional institutions.
Between 1993 and 1996, Mr Gyngell was foreign policy adviser in the office of then-Australian prime minister Paul Keating, and from 1991 until 1993 was First Assistant Secretary in the International Division of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
His professional life began as an officer of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which he joined in 1969. He has served as a diplomat in Rangoon (1970–72), Singapore (1973–76) and Washington (1981–84). He also worked on Southeast Asian issues in ONA and later as head of the Europe, Americas, Africa and the Middle East branch.
He was appointed as an Officer in the Order of Australia in 2009 for service to international relations.
