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The national security agency has unveiled a new facility in Canberra to house the expansion of its intelligence gathering and threat detection capabilities.
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The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has opened a new cyber and foreign intelligence facility in Majura Park, Canberra, built to foster security partnerships across the intelligence community, law enforcement, Australian industry and international partners.
The new centre is expected to house agents and personnel from the Australian Defence Force, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Home Affairs and representatives from industry.
This comes amid increased investment in the ASD’s signals intelligence, cyber security and offensive cyber operations capabilities.
The Majura Park facility is also tipped to create new employment opportunities for intelligence analysts, cyber operators, technology researchers, and corporate enablers.
Minister for Defence Peter Dutton said adequately resourcing the ASD would ensure it can continue protection of the nation’s security interests, particularly critical infrastructure.
“This state-of-the-art building reflects the Australian government’s determination to defend against and confront our adversaries in what is a rapidly deteriorating strategic environment,” Minister Dutton said.
“ASD is a world-class intelligence, offensive cyber and cyber security agency and this new facility will ensure its dedicated staff can continue to innovate and stay one step ahead of our most cunning adversaries.
“Protecting Australians and Australian interests is a top priority of the Morrison government, and our intelligence and security agencies need the best possible tools to deter adversaries and defend the nation, and to strike back when necessary.”
Assistant Minister for Defence Andrew Hastie stressed the importance of securing Australia’s digital sovereignty, given the interconnectedness of the economy.
“As we’re seeing in conflicts around the globe, authoritarian states are increasingly using cyber attacks to undermine and threaten democracies, and a strong ASD is vital to Australia’s cyber defences,” Hastie said.
“The Majura Park facility will better enable ASD and its Australian Cyber Security Centre to detect increased threats, disrupt more foreign adversaries, and build more partnerships with industry and government to protect more Australians.”
Director-General ASD, Rachel Noble PSM, welcomed the collaboration opportunities made available by the opening of the new facility.
“ASD has always worked as part of a larger team alongside its inter-agency domestic partners and Five Eyes allies, and the Majura Park facility will mean we can collaborate and share information with greater speed, scale and impact,” Noble said.
“ASD has always had to out-think and out-imagine our adversaries. We do this best as a team.”
The launch of the ASD’s new centre comes just days after the Commonwealth government officially opened the Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3) – a new Australian Federal Police-led centre designed to house collaboration between law enforcement and intelligence services representatives focused on combating the growing threat of malicious cyber activity.
The cyber crime fighting hub – to be based in the AFP’s NSW headquarters – has received $89 million in funding via the Commonwealth government’s $1.67 billion Cyber Security Strategy.
The new centre will be supported by a “National Plan to Combat Cybercrime”, endorsed by Commonwealth, state and territory police ministers.
The plan aims to foster industry growth online, bolster confidence in the digital economy and ensure safe online spaces for children, while also boosting crime detection and law enforcement capabilities.
[Related: New centre launched to combat cyber crime]
Charbel Kadib
News Editor – Defence and Security, Momentum Media
Prior to joining the defence and aerospace team in 2020, Charbel was news editor of The Adviser and Mortgage Business, where he covered developments in the banking and financial services sector for three years. Charbel has a keen interest in geopolitics and international relations, graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in politics and journalism. Charbel has also completed internships with The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts and public relations agency Fifty Acres.
