Director-General of Security

{{Short description|Executive officer of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation}}

{{Use Australian English|date=February 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}

{{Infobox political post

| post = Director-General

| body = Security

| nativename =

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| image = 250px

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| incumbent = Mike Burgess

| incumbentsince = 16 September 2019

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| nominator = Prime Minister

| nominatorpost =

| appointer = Governor-General

| appointerpost = Governor-General of Australia

| termlength = 7 years; renewable infinitely

| inaugural = Justice Geoffrey Reed

| formation = 1949

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The director-general of security is the executive officer of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), Australia's national security agency. The director-general, through ASIO, has overall responsibility for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage (especially sabotage of critical infrastructure), politically motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, terrorism and acts of foreign interference.

The director-general is assisted by two deputy directors-general, although only one of the former deputies, David Fricker, has been publicly identified.{{citation needed|date=January 2018|reason=George Ronald Richards is cited as a deputy director general in e.g. [http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/richards-george-ronald-ron-14450 the Australian Dictionary of Biography]}} David Fricker left ASIO in 2011.The Australian, 23 December 2011, [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/from-asio-to-archives/news-story/9b75f55773e7c43fb96482b3f357a955 From ASIO to archives] The director-general is subject to the directions of the attorney-general, although convention allows the director-general direct access to the prime minister. The director-general of security is often regarded as Australia's 'top spy', even though they may not have been previously engaged in intelligence upon appointment.[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/howard-adviser-lands-top-spy-job/2005/07/10/1120934115638.html Howard adviser lands top spy job], The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 July 2005 The incumbent director-general is Mike Burgess, appointed on 16 September 2019.

The director-general is appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister and holds office under the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979.[http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/asioa1979472/s7.html AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION ACT 1979 - SECT 7] The normal term of appointment is limited to seven years, although the director-general is eligible for reappointment.[http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/asioa1979472/s9.html AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION ACT 1979 - SECT 9]