Foundation Day
16 March 2007
Director-General’s Address
‘Looking Forward, Looking Back’
Good Morning and welcome to the celebration of Foundation Day 2007.
It is my pleasure to welcome to ASIO His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and Her Excellency Mrs Marlena Jeffery.
This is an historic occasion for ASIO because – as best we can determine – Major General Jeffery is the first Governor-General to visit ASIO.
Of course it is not Major General Jeffery's first encounter with ASIO.
Under Section 7 of the ASIO Act, it is the Governor-General who appoints the Director-General of Security on advice from the Prime Minister following consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.
This arrangement commenced when ASIO was placed on a legislative footing with the enactment of the first ASIO Act in 1956.
It was Major General Jeffery who appointed me formally as Director-General of Security in July 2005.
However, the first two Directors-General were appointed by the Prime Minster of the day.
In 1949 Prime Minister Chifley appointed Justice Reed of the South Australian Supreme Court for a period of 12 months to set up a permanent Commonwealth security service – it was not called ASIO at that time.
The letter of appointment is proudly displayed in the foyer of this building.
Importantly, the principles expressed in that document – presented 58 years ago – have guided the operation of this organisation across the decades and remain relevant today.
Prime Minister Chifley directed Justice Reed to establish an organisation whose task was the defence of the Commonwealth from external and internal dangers, that it be kept absolutely free from any political bias or influence and that nothing should be done that might lend colour to any suggestion that it is concerned with the interests of any particular section of the community or with any matters other than the defence of the Commonwealth.
On 6 July 1950 Prime Minister Menzies appointed Colonel (later Brigadier then Sir) Charles Spry as Director-General of Security, a position he held until January 1970.
It was Prime Minister Menzies' Charter Letter to Spry that first referred to the Australian Security Intelligence Organization.
Over the years approximately 5000 people have worked in ASIO, mostly as permanent officers or on secondment from other Australian agencies or on exchange from liaison partners or employed under other temporary arrangements.
There are currently more than 1300 people employed in ASIO with additional staff to be recruited over the next four years to take the Organisation to 1860 people.
Even at that size ASIO will not be a large organisation when compared to other Commonwealth, State or Territory public sector agencies.
And we will continue to be somewhat smaller than many of our international liaison partners.
Irrespective of the size of the Organisation, it is a pleasing characteristic of ASIO that it is populated with capable people who work together with mutual respect and tolerance and who remain committed to meeting the important responsibilities that we carry.
That is, to provide advice to protect Australia and its people from threats to national security.
The people who make up ASIO are drawn from all parts of Australia, and from a range of social, cultural, economic, religious, educational and professional backgrounds.
Most were born here although ASIO counts among its ranks people born on every continent except Antarctica – covering more than 50 countries.
Although Foundation Day marks an historical event and is one of those important days in the life of an organisation where people reflect on their origins and past achievements, ASIO is very much an organisation with its eye to the future.
Our world is one of complex and dynamic challenges which mean that our effectiveness as an organisation is dependent on our ability to stay at the leading edge and to anticipate potential issues of concern.
It also depends on people doing their jobs well.
Foundation Day is one of the two annual occasions in the life of ASIO – the other being Australia Day – where we recognise formally outstanding service by individuals or work groups.
There are two categories of award to be presented today.
Special Achievement Awards recognise an accomplishment within or outside the workplace where there is an identifiable link with, or relevance to, ASIO's work.
Meritorious Service Awards recognise service above and beyond the call of duty.
Given the nature of these awards, it is entirely appropriate that they be presented by a person with a long and distinguished career of service to our nation.
After graduating from the Royal Military College Duntroon, Major General Jeffery served operationally with the military in Malaya, Borneo, Papua New Guinea and Vietnam where he was awarded the Military Cross and the South Vietnamese Cross for Gallantry.
In 1993 Major General Jeffery retired from the military to assume the appointment of Governor of Western Australia which he held for almost seven years.
For his services to the State he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order and a Citizen of Western Australia.
On his retirement as Governor of Western Australia in 2000 he established in Perth a not-for-profit research institute – Future Directions International – whose objective is to examine longer term issues facing Australia.
On 11 August 2003 Major-General Jeffery was sworn in as Australia's 24th Governor-General.
It is my pleasure to introduce to you His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and to invite him to address us and to present the Foundation Day awards for 2007.