The National Security Podcast Seeing the unseen: why geospatial intelligence is important
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Nov 6, 2025 Kathryn McMullan, the newly appointed Director of the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation, shares her insights on the evolution of AGO within the National Intelligence Community. She highlights the significance of geospatial intelligence in statecraft and its synergy with Five Eyes and regional partnerships. Kathryn discusses the importance of innovation, workforce preparedness, and technology in optimizing AGO's capabilities. She emphasizes collaboration with the commercial sector and the future of data management, urging for a culture of resilience and empowerment within the organization.
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AGO’s Century-Long Evolution To National GeoInt Hub
- AGO evolved from century-old surveying and hydrography roots into a national centre of geospatial intelligence over 25 years.
- It now supports the ADF, NIC partners, civilian agencies and disaster response with precise geospatial visualisation.
GeoInt Shapes Strategic Foresight
- AGO aligns activity to ONI and Chief of Defence Intelligence priorities and anticipates emerging needs like AUKUS.
- Geo-intelligence adds value by fusing domain knowledge to inform red teaming, threat profiles and countermeasures.
Five Eyes Plus Regional Partnerships
- AGO operates inside a Five Eyes GeoInt network sharing systems and burden-sharing global coverage.
- It also expands partnerships beyond Five Eyes into Pacific and Indo‑Asia to build regional capability and resilience.