Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) About
ASIS's primary goal is to obtain and distribute secret intelligence about the capabilities, intentions and
activities of individuals or organisations outside Australia,
which may impact on Australia's interests and the well- Graduate Opportunities ASIS offers a 12 month graduate program called ACTIVATE. being of its citizens. Successful applicants will gain experience through
What kind of work?
ASIS's functions are to:
corporate and operational work placements and will be
given the opportunity to travel and undertake specialist
- Collect foreign intelligence, not available by other training. The program provides graduates with a broad overview of ASIS. means, which may impact on Australia's interests; - Distribute that intelligence to the Government, including Graduates who successfully complete ACTIVATE will be offered a permanent job in a corporate, technical or key policy departments and agencies; intelligence support role.
- Undertake counter-intelligence activities which protect Australia's interests and initiatives; and,
- Engage other intelligence and security services overseas
You can find more information here:
https://www.asis.gov.au/Careers/Graduate-Program.html
in Australia's national interests
Fun Fact / Recent Project
Location
For over twenty years, the existence of ASIS remained a
Canberra
A Secret Agency
secret, even from members of the Australian Government. The Service was first referred to in Parliament in 1975
and was not publicly acknowledged until 1977. The then Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, informed Parliament that
"ASIS's capacity to serve Australia's national interest will continue to depend on its activities being fully protected by secrecy". This statement has been reaffirmed by
successive Governments. Today, ASIS is a part of the Foreign Affairs portfolio and is responsible to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Based on a recommendation by a Commission of Inquiry in 1995, the Intelligence Services Act 2001 ('the Act') came into being in 2001. It provides a legislative framework for
ASIS and made public for the first time, ASIS's functions and limits.
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