The following are excerpts from a statement by the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives on 25 October 1977 on the Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security concerning the Australian Secret Intelligence Service:

The Fifth Report (of the Royal Commission) is about the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, ASIS, an agency of the Australian Government, the existence of which has not hitherto officially been acknowledged. The Government agrees with Mr Justice Hope's recommendation that ASIS should be publicly acknowledged and on his recommendation the Fifth Report will not be published, as to do so would jeopardise national security.

The Report has been made available to the Leader of the Opposition as the Royal Commissioner recommended. The Royal Commissioner recommended that, "the Government accept the continuing need for an Australian Secret Intelligence Service and that ASIS be retained to fulfil that role." He reported that, "ASIS is a singularly well run and well managed agency, right in concept for Australian circumstances." The main function of ASIS is to obtain, by such means and subject to such conditions as are prescribed by the Government foreign intelligence for the purpose of the protection or promotion of Australia or its interests. The Government has accepted his recommendation that the Service continue and be responsible to and under the control of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The funding of ASIS has in the past been secret but will in future be the subject of a one-line appropriation like ASIO. ASIS's capacity to serve Australia's national interest will continue to depend on its activities being fully protected by secrecy. The Government will therefore adhere strictly to the practice of refusing to provide details of ASIS's activities, nor will it be prepared to enter into any discussion on the service.

In the late 1940s a special operations organisation was established within the Department of Defence. In 1951 this became the Australian Secret Service. In 1954 it was transferred from the Department of Defence to the (then) Department of External Affairs. The organisation currently operates under the name Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) and is responsible to, and under the control of, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Prior to 1977 ASIS' existence was not officially acknowledged by the Government. Its main function is officially stated in a statement by the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives on 25 October 1977 on the Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security, to be: