Australian Secret Intelligence Service 3.91

The Australian Secret Intelligence Service is Australia's foreign intelligence agency. ASIS was formed in 1952, but its existence remained secret even within the Government until 1972. ASIS is part of the Australian Intelligence Community responsible for the collection of foreign intelligence, including both counter-intelligence and liaising with the intelligence agencies of other countries. In these roles, ASIS is comparable to the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).According to its website, the mission of ASIS is to "protect and promote Australia's vital interests through the provision of unique foreign intelligence services as directed by the Australian Government.''ASIS is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio and its head, the Director-General, is directly responsible to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The headquarters of ASIS is within DFAT's headquarters in Canberra. Its current Director-General is Nick Warner.HistoryOn 13 May 1952, in a meeting of the Executive Council, Prime Minister Robert Menzies established ASIS by executive order under s 61 of the Constitution, appointing Alfred Deakin Brookes as the first Director-General of ASIS. The existence of ASIS remained secret even within the Government until 1972.