 The existence of JIO was initially a secret, but was revealed by Prime Minister William McMahon when he blurted out something about "J-ten".The 1977 tabled recommendations of the Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security, established on 21 August 1974 by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and led by Justice Robert Hope, called for an independent authority to provide intelligence assessments on political, strategic and economic issues directly to the Prime Minister.As such, Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser established the Office of National Assessments (ONA) through the "Office of National Assessments Act 1977".