Australia’s overseas spy network gets $296 million in the 2015 budget

The Government is spending money on new foreign embassies in some of the world’s most volatile regions, which means more money for spies.

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WITH the war against terrorism moving into cyberspace and new Australian diplomatic missions opening in some of the world’s most volatile regions, an extra $296 million given to the nation’s overseas spy agency will be spread thin.

The Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), based on the top floor of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade building in Canberra, runs a network of spies at embassies and High Commissions around the globe.

Spy funds ... The government has allocated an extra $296 million to Australia’s overseas spy agency as the war on terror moves into cyberspace. Picture: News Corp Australia

The budget also included funding for new missions in Qatar, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Mongolia and Thailand as well as a massive $237 million for a new building in Washington.

Another $106 million will fund ongoing operations at the embassy in Baghdad where ASIS operates a station.

In addition, the spy agency was given $172 million over six years to upgrade its computer system and $123 million for operational activities.

With spooks almost certainly required in most of the new missions the money, along with the extra $47 million a year from 2021, will not go far.