With reference to the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) 2004-05 annual report, in particular the statement in the report that the ACC created a Specialist Services Group in the Operations Directorate to create greater ‘synergy’ in the gathering of evidence and actionable intelligence:

(1)   What exactly is meant by ‘greater synergy’.

(2) (a)   How is this synergy measured; and (b) can specifics of key performance indicators related to this synergy be provided.

(3) (a)   What action was undertaken by the ACC to achieve ‘greater synergy’; and (b) what are the results of this action so far.

(1)   The Specialist Services Group (SSG) is a key enabler of inter-disciplinary teams conducting ACC operations. It delivers information and intelligence from various sources directly to the teams, timely, informed and fully contextualised decisions can be made about operational deployments and responses. Greater synergies is generated both in the data flows (which are enhanced by their being processed in proximity) and in the teams which can more practically be brought together to exploit the data and their meaning.

(2) (a)   and (b) The quality, quantity and effectiveness of this synergy is measured through the successful integration of operational systems, improved operational capacity, effective and efficient management of covertly acquired information and strategic alignment of covert functions. Specific measures for these are identified in the ACC Business Plan; measures are both qualitative and quantitative in nature and are compiled from sources ranging from personal feedback through to formal evaluations of output effectiveness and efficiency.

(3) (a)   Greater synergy has been achieved by the aggregation of the ACC’s specialist functions including covert human source, electronic product such as telephone interception, cyber support, physical and technical surveillance into a single portfolio known as the Specialist Services Group which took effect 1 July 2005. (b) An evaluation the effectiveness of the SSG in its first 12 months will be available in the first quarter of 2006-07. The SSG is focussed on delivering professional support to the ACC’s operational and intelligence outcomes.