On July 1, 2018, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) became a statutory agency within the Defence portfolio. This was recommended by the 2017 Independent Intelligence Review conducted by Stephen Merchant, a former director of the ASD, Michael L’Estrange, a former secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Sir Iain Lobban, a former director of the British Government Communications Headquarters, Britain’s counterpart of the ASD. This was due to the ASD&rs…
