Scott Morrison pays tribute to retiring spy chief Nick Warner

Australian intelligence community director-general Nick Warner will retire in December after a 40-year career in national security.

Australian Secret Intelligence Service director-general Nick Warner with Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte. Warner will retire in December after 40 years of service. Source: Twitter/@PTVph

The head of Australia’s intelligence community, Office of National Intelligence director-general Nick Warner, will retire in December after a 40-year career in national security, defence and foreign affairs.

Scott Morrison’s cabinet secretary Andrew Shearer, a former ONI deputy director-general and former national security adviser to John Howard and Tony Abbott, is seen as the favourite to take the job.

The Prime Minister paid tribute to Mr Warner, saying his expertise was “without peer”. “Nick has an extremely long and distinguished career serving Australia‘s interests and defending and protecting Australia’s interests,” he said.

“We thank you, Nick, on behalf of a grateful nation for keeping Australia safe and keeping Australians safe. You’ve done a superb job.”

Mr Warner, 70, has previously served as director-general of Australia’s domestic and foreign spy agencies, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Secret Intelligence Service.

He is also a former secretary of the Department of Defence, a former ambassador to Papua New Guinea, and served as the special co-ordinator of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

Former Defence and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Dennis Richardson, who was also a former ASIO director-general, said Mr Warner had been an “outstanding” first director of ONI, which was formed in 2017.

“He always did a great job at any challenge he faced. He has a sharp inquiring mind and a great capacity to get along with people,” Mr Richardson said.