The Coalition has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of hypocrisy and undermining national security after he hand-picked his office’s chief foreign policy adviser to lead the Office of National Intelligence.

Kathy Klugman, as first reported by this masthead on Thursday, departed Albanese’s office last week after serving for three years as his key political adviser on international affairs, accompanying him on key overseas visits.

It then emerged via The Australian Financial Review that she would replace Andrew Shearer, who is moving from the ONI to become Australia’s next ambassador to Japan.

In 2020, Labor in opposition under Albanese slammed the Morrison government for appointing Shearer to the position because he had most recently been a staffer in Scott Morrison’s private

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