Kathy Klugman has been appointed the next Director-General of National Intelligence, becoming the first woman to fill the nation’s top intelligence job.
Replacing the current Director-General Andrew Shearer at the end of his term later this year, Klugman will lead the Office of National Intelligence, which provides intelligence advice directly to the Prime Minister.
Most recently, Klugman has been Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s chief foreign affairs advisor, a position she’s held since 2022.
She has had a career in the Australian Public Service, holding senior positions in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. She has had a particular focus on the Indo-Pacific region and served as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.
As a Deputy Secretary at DFAT, Klugman 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.
She’s also previously led the Pacific Division of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and oversaw the establishment of the expanded Office of the Pacific in DFAT, charged with advancing Australia’s Pacific Step Up.
In addition, Klugman has held senior positions covering policy and strategy for Southeast Asia and South Asia, including as Australia’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. She has led the International Division of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Klugman’s appointment to Directory-General of National Intelligence has been criticised by the Coalition for her ties to the Labor party and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The Coalition claims the appointment is hypocritical, considering that Albanese complained five years ago about then Prime Minister Scott Morrison making a similar appointment.
At the time, Albanese had said Shearer wasn’t “an appropriate choice” due to his ties to the Liberal party.
Earlier this week, Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles informed Opposition Leader Sussan Ley about Klugman’s appointment, who expressed disappointment due to Klugman’s experience as “a long-term Labor staffer”.
In the transition with the role of Director-General of National Intelligence, Foreign Minister Penny Wong has appointed Shearer as Australia’s next ambassador to Japan, which is seen as an increasingly important security partner.