Scott Morrison has sent a blunt message to the Canberra club.
He has also signalled a new national security posture. The modern “hawks” are in charge.
The appointment of Australian Signals Directorate boss Mike Burgess as ASIO director-general may leave a few noses out of joint within the establishment but many believe it to be an inspired decision.
The Prime Minister is pushing through generational change. The first hint of his thinking came with the surprise appointment of Northern Territory cop Reece Kershaw as the new Australian Federal Police commissioner.
MORE: Hi-tech test for incoming ASIO chief
Burgess’s credentials are unquestionable. ASIO now has a forward-leaning director with a deep grasp of the technological and cyber challenges the domestic spy agency faces and the unprecedented levels of foreign interference.
The appointment of Andrew Shearer as cabinet secretary is another key piece of the puzzle. Shearer has been a national security adviser to both John Howard and Tony Abbott with close ties to the US defence and intelligence establishment.
Morrison has signalled a significant gear change in thinking on national security while sending a broader message to the public service that he is prepared to think outside the Canberra orthodoxy.
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