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Each year, the Institute seeks to recognise excellence in the intelligence profession through the AIPIO Annual Awards Scheme. The 
Scheme offers awards for which an individual may apply for themselves, and those for which an individual or organisation must be 
nominated. 

In 2012, the AIPIO Board will make awards in three categories: Publications; Organisation; and Individual. 

Nomination forms are to be by returned by 5pm on Friday 01 June 2012 to be considered. Completed and signed nominations forms (and copies of papers for the publications award) can be faxed to AIPIO (02) 6282 7191 or scanned and emailed to secretariat(at)aipio.asn.au. Award winners will be notified by the AIPIO Secretary by the end of June 2012.

Publication Award (self nomination permitted)
The AIPIO Publication Award is intended to stimulate research and writing on issues relevant to the intelligence profession in Australasia. Members and non-members of AIPIO are eligible to apply for this award. There is only one applicant selected for the Publications Award with a prize of $1500 awarded. The award-winner also receives an AIPIO Certificate of Merit.  The review panel will be coordinated by the Secretary AIPIO and will include the Journal Review Panel.

Organisation Award (requires independent nomination)
The AIPIO Organisation Award is intended to recognise an organisation that has made a distinguished contribution to the intelligence profession. The organisation’s contribution must have been in the last 12 months. The nominee does not have to be affiliated with AIPIO to be eligible. There is only one nominee selected for this award category. The award-winner receives an AIPIO Certificate of Merit.

Individual Award (requires independent nomination)
The AIPIO Individual Award is intended to recognise an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to the intelligence profession. The individual’s contribution need not be limited to the preceding 12 months, and can be for the individual’s long term contribution to the profession. The nominee does not have to be an AIPIO member to be eligible. There is only one nominee selected for this award category. The award-winner receives attendance at the AIPIO Conference (value $1000) and an AIPIO Certificate of Merit. (Note travel expenses and accommodation are not included.)

Click here for a AIPIO Awards 2012 nomination forms and full details of selection criteria.



Snapshot of 2011 AIPIO award Winners:
Individual Award: Sharyn Johns, acting National Manager for Intelligence Products – Australian Crime Commission. 
Sharyn Johns has worked tirelessly, particularly over the last two years to improve intelligence at the ACC and subsequently the ACC’s professionalism and reputation. From inception, Sharyn’s development of the Intelligence Standards Framework (ISF) was conducted with the needs of analysts, managers and the broader law enforcement ACC community in mind.

The resulting framework provides: standardisation of intelligence processes, policies, new training initiatives, upgraded business processes, cross agency initiatives, more support for analysts and managers, guides, rewards and recognition programs, mentoring initiatives and many other positive outcomes. These outcomes denote a shift towards a more positive culture at the ACC. 

Sharyn’s leading edge work with the ISF has national implications and affects. Components of the ISF will directly feed into the Government’s Organised Crime Strategic Framework and the new National Organised Crime Intelligence Model. This raises the ACC
engagement, profile and contribution towards whole of nation intelligence and organised crime strategies.

Organisation Award: NCTC Intelligence Capability
One of the main objectives of the National Counter Terrorism Committee (NCTC) is “coordinating an effective nation-wide counter-terrorism capability”. From an intelligence perspective, this includes the effective operation of the Joint Intelligence Group (JIG) — the
multi-agency intelligence response capability that is enacted to prevent or respond to a Terrorist Incident in Australia.

The National Counter Terrorism Plan determines that the “JIG will be established by the responsible State/Territory in support of the Police Operations Centre to provide all possible intelligence support to operational commanders and will include the ADF, ASIO, AFP, State police.”

The intelligence capability comprises:
  • A nominated Capability Advisor (CA) and Assistant Capability Advisor (ACA) — these individuals volunteer a substantial amount of their work time towards all functions of the capability. Elected members hold these positions for 3 years and nominees are selected by the NCTC.
  • Intelligence managers from each State policing jurisdiction as well as the AFP, ADF, ACBPS and ASIO ensure that the JIG capability is regularly tested and staff within their jurisdictions remain trained and their skills continually developed.
  • The Directing staff, made up of highly skilled intelligence practitioners from across the country including all State policing jurisdictions, the AFP, ASIO, and Attorney Generals Department — who run a suite of National JIG courses — for officers, Analysts and Managers.
  • The hundreds of JIG qualified intelligence officers across the country.
  • The capability is coordinated from the Attorney General’s department.
All of the work conducted by these professionals is in addition to their full time jobs as intelligence officers, analysts and managers throughout Australia. A significant amount of the work is not seen by the wider intelligence and law-enforcement community. Yet it is through the dedicated work of these individuals that Australia remains poised to respond to a terrorist threat.

Publication Award: Simon O’Rourke for his paper titled Emergent Challenges for Policing – Lessons from Mumbai.
Abstract: On November 26, 2008 ten armed terrorists from Lashka-e-Toiba utilised military assault style tactics to attack a number of establishments including restaurants and hotels in the city of Mumbai, India. This new attack paradigm indicated a significant shift in tactics from the placement of improvised explosive devices or deployment of suicide bombers, and contains valuable lessons for contemporary law enforcement particularly with regard to intelligence, response, and media management. There are few agencies currently geared to deal with the sheer scope of an event involving trained terrorists well versed with small team tactics, heavily armed and equipped conducting operations in any major city. This attack paradigm clearly presents unique challenges to police who will be tasked to respond to these types of incidents, particularly given the training and weaponry that will be deployed against them.