Why I Spy

There is no ASIO ‘type’—people of all types can, and do, work at ASIO. Our success is underpinned by the differing skills, experiences, and perspectives of our people. They come from a variety of backgrounds, applying their creativity and intelligence to keep Australians safe.

In ‘Why I Spy’, ASIO officers tell their real stories about joining the organisation, and where a career with us has taken them.

Is ASIO the next chapter in your story?

Analysts

I have two jobs—I’m a spy…and I’m a mum. Each is just as challenging and rewarding as the other.

I have worked at ASIO for over ten years, and some of that has been part-time. While finding that work-life balance is always a challenge, I feel incredibly lucky that the organisation has given me the flexibility to excel in both my work as an intelligence analyst and as a hands-on parent to my three kids.

My usual week consists of examining terrorist groups, going to the zoo, reading classified material, swimming lessons, briefing senior ASIO managers, and building LEGO forts.

My kids sometimes pretend to be spies—if only they knew their mum was a real one! Maybe, when they’re a lot older, I will tell them.

I am immensely proud of both of my jobs. I feel like I am helping to shape both Australia’s security and our future generations.

That’s Why I Spy.

 

 

I’ve always had big dreams, but I never knew they’d lead me to spying.

I grew up in a Muslim family in NSW, amongst the backdrop of our busy restaurant. In those days, I dreamed of becoming an actress.

My community didn’t encourage girls to have a career—we were expected to get married when we finished school. But I’ve always done things differently, so I went to uni to study Information Technology.

Little did I know, that was a perfect fit for ASIO: the organisation’s version of Q Branch needs people with STEM skills and my cultural background is a real advantage in some of our counter-terrorism work.

There are diverse roles in the organisation and I’ve learnt new skills. Now I’m an analyst working to counter foreign interference.

I thought ASIO would be scary, but it’s not at all! It’s an inclusive workplace and I’ve made life-long friends. My family is very proud of what I do—keeping Australians safe.

That’s Why I Spy.

Director-General of Security Mike Burgess

I’m an unconventional spy.

My path to ASIO started at Underdale High School in Adelaide, when I first played with the school’s only computer, an Apple 2. It unleashed my inner geek and I wanted to become an electronics engineer.

I was the first person in my family to go to university. My dad was a storeman and my mum was a cleaner, so I spent a year unpacking boxes and stacking bookshelves to save money.

After I graduated, I saw a mysterious job ad in a newspaper. When I rang for more information, I got greeted with ‘hello’, I said ‘hello’, and the response was ‘hello…’

It turned out to be my entry into the secretive world of intelligence. The real secret to a great career is doing something you love, something that matters.

At ASIO, I protect Australia and Australians from threats to their security. That’s the mission. I get to make a difference.

That’s Why I Spy.

Intelligence Officers

If you’d told me I’d grow up to be a spycatcher, I would have laughed at you.

My first job was entering data on the night shift for the Police as I put myself through a Business degree. I was an average student but a lateral thinker—I could see problems in a different way. The 9/11 terrorist attacks profoundly changed my priorities.

I landed a job as an ASIO admin officer and a couple of years later I became an intelligence officer.

That’s how I caught my first spy. I didn’t catch him in the act...it didn’t play out like a movie. It started with a human source providing a scrap of information. We started connecting the dots. While they never knew we were onto them they knew how to hide what they were doing.

They were good but we were better. We outplayed and out-thought a highly sophisticated intelligence service. I smiled as I walked towards my boss’s office to tell her. Working in a great team and doing things our adversaries think are impossible, to keep Australia safe.

That’s Why I Spy.

My early life was like a Cold War spy thriller.

I grew up overseas under communist rule. My family escaped and we ended up in Australia. We were safe but it wasn’t easy.

My parents didn’t speak any English and nor did I when I started school. My teacher made me change my name to make it easier for others.

I wanted to be a writer but chose physiotherapy as a more ‘sensible’ career path. At one time I would never have applied for a job in ASIO. Security services do not have a great reputation in communist countries!

But the more I thought about it, the more I figured my background and experiences made me a good fit. Decades later, I’m still here.

I’ve been an intelligence officer stopping terrorists, a surveillance officer, and a security assessor. I’ve worked overseas and managed human sources to produce intelligence for world leaders.

There’s nothing boring about what ASIO does. I’m immensely proud of our impact.

That’s Why I Spy.

Surveillance Officers

I’ve gone from building houses to building cases.

After 10 years as a tradie, I was looking for a change. But I didn’t want a nine-to-five office job.

I’ve never been an inside person, so when I saw an ad for ASIO Surveillance Officers, it was the change I was seeking. 

I’ve played basketball since I was a kid, so I wanted a career where I was part of a team. Working collaboratively is essential to success in surveillance, and I love working with highly trained, highly motivated people.

The technology is cool and no two days are the same. Sometimes I’m on foot, sometimes I’m in a car. Every week brings new objectives and new locations. I can work on two different jobs in four different places all in one day.

I really enjoy the mobility and changing environment of my role. The shift work is also a major advantage—it lets me to get to the beach.

I provide case officers critical intelligence, to help keep Australia and Australians safe.

That’s Why I Spy.

I sometimes joke to myself that being an ASIO surveillance officer is like being a secret superhero.

I grew up in a first-generation family and my parents expected me to go to uni and study accounting, but I chose a different route. 

I wanted to make a difference, change someone’s life for the better, so being a nurse appealed. But I ended up changing lives from behind the scenes.

My first three months in ASIO involved intense training, but it prepared me for a fulfilling and exciting career.

A team member recently recorded someone buying weapons for a planned terrorist attack. Our actions literally saved lives. It was a stark reminder of the threats we face and the way surveillance work contributes to something bigger.

Flexible shift arrangements allow me to pursue my passions, like gardening. Being free to do the things I love reminds me of the importance of the work ASIO does to keep us all safe.

Stopping terrorists and protecting Australians. 

That’s Why I Spy.

Technologist Graduates

 

 

I learnt how to turn on a computer before I could read, but I’m not your typical techie.

I spent most of my youth on a footy field. When I got injured, I moved onto weightlifting and lived by the motto: work hard, play hard.

 I paid for my IT degree by working in a fast food restaurant, getting up at 3AM to carry hundreds of delivery boxes into the store. 

 I applied to ASIO because I thought doing IT in a security service would be as cool as it gets. But I was worried it might be like the cliché—men in dark suits, constant retina scans, loads of stress and so on.

 It’s not like that at all. The work is high tempo but the environment is pretty relaxed. We are avid gamers who get together after work to compete.

 The combination of fast-paced work in a supportive environment really resonates with me. I get to support successful operations to protect Australia, with a team of good mates. 

That’s Why I Spy.

I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up but I did know what I wanted to do—help people.

I thought about becoming a vet or a scientist, maybe finding a cure for cancer. But that was before I discovered computers.

At uni, I studied IT. The buzz I got building computers for family and friends made me realise I wanted a career that focused on a purpose. A friend suggested ASIO.

It was a lightbulb moment. I could combine my love of tech and my passion for helping. When I first got to see ASIO’s tech labs, I knew I’d made the right choice.

ASIO isn’t just outgoing people, spy catchers pounding the pavement. A lot of us are people like me, working quietly in the background to achieve our mission. I get computers to spill their secrets instead.

The job feels like more than just a job. I love working somewhere I feel valued for who I am, as well as for what I do. That’s Why I Spy.

Training Officer

I’m secretive about my work, but not about what I value.

I grew up in South-East Asia, before my family moved to Australia seeking a better life. I’ve always loved travelling, so it made sense to work in tourism.

But the more time I spent overseas, the more grateful I became for what I had at home. I wanted to help protect the Australian way of life.

I was interested in ASIO, but I wasn’t sure if ASIO would be interested in me. I did a bit of research and discovered the organisation really values diversity and inclusion.

My doubts about getting a security clearance were also unfounded—honesty really is the best policy. Now I work in training, developing the skills of other ASIO officers.

I love chatting to people to hear their stories, and its important to me that I can talk freely about my life—my husband, my background—all the things that make me, me. I work in a place designed to keep secrets, but the one secret I don’t have to keep is who I am. I can bring my whole self to work.

That’s Why I Spy.