Sanctus – The Government today announced that Director-General of the Department of Homeland Security, Dr. Nicholas Carson, would be their nominee to lead the Federal Intelligence Agency as its inaugural Director. Carson, who has had responsibility for the agency during the last six months, has served as the civil servant in charge of the DHS since 2017. He was previously Sanctarian Ambassador to the World Assembly.
Speaking in the House of Deputies this afternoon, Secretary for Homeland Security Nicola Allman credited the good work that Carson has done in the initial establishment phase of the FIA, and its move from being a Bureau within the Sanctarian Federal Police to a fully-fledged independent agency. The domestic counter-terrorism agency, established officially in December 2021, has been without a Director, with Carson as Director-General of the DHS legally responsible for the agency under the establishment legislation. The move, which was not expected, sees Carson leave his role as head of DHS at the end of this month.
The government has been criticised for allowing the FIA Director position to go so long unfilled, recalling memories of the Kindle government not nominating a Director of the Sanctarian Intelligence Service for over half a year on that occasion. Allman rejected that criticism today saying the “Government had to be sure we chose the right person for this sensitive, natural security-focused role”. Carson was not immediately available for comment after his nomination was announced to the House.
The Senate Select Sub-committee on Intelligence will now take up his nomination before deciding whether or not to send it to a full vote in the Senate, which is currently equally divided between government and opposition parties. The process promises to be a lively one, with some opposition Senators already saying they would have preferred a career law enforcement official to take the job.
SOULLA WILDE, Political Correspondent, and GWEN COPLEY, National Security Correspondent
