Australian Spy Agency ASIS Signs on as Vogue Codes Partner and Launches Instagram Account

Abc reported that Kerri Hartland, director-general of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, appeared at Vogue Codes, an annual summit for women in STEM and tech, roughly one year before July 2024. She was interviewed by Edwina McCann and said understanding motivations and relationships lies at the centre of the agency's work.

Abc reported that ASIS returned to the event a few weeks before the article's publication and signed on as a supporting partner with Qantas and QT Hotels.

The agency also launched a redesigned website and joined Instagram. Hartland appeared on the Mamamia podcast Seize the Yay, where she said the agency seeks qualities such as strong interpersonal skills and the ability to read a room rather than qualifications alone. She added that the focus on a diverse workforce aims to enhance the impact delivered for government.

Abc reported that two unidentified female serving officers were interviewed on the same podcast. One described working overseas in high society and high political echelons and called herself the cocktail dress-wearing equivalent of a tuxedo-wearing spy. The other said she had done more work in war zones and high physical threat locations.

Both officers said superior interpersonal skills remain essential. One stated that without the interpersonal elements and curiosity about engaging with others the job would not suit a candidate. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has referred to ASIS assistance in assessing risks from ISIS brides returning from Syria and in investigations into the Bondi terror attack.

Former director-general Paul Symon described in a 2022 speech the agency's role evacuating sources at Kabul airport in 2021. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said there is no such thing as a typical ASIS officer anymore and that Australia needs people who think differently and bring fresh perspectives.