SpyCast

The Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate with Rachel Noble


Listen Later

Summary

Rachel Noble joins Andrew to discuss her role as Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate. Rachel is the first woman to hold this position.  


What You’ll Learn

Intelligence

  • The Australian Signals Directorate: Its purpose and mission
  • The true story of the Pine Gap spy facility
  • Leadership in Intelligence
  • The SIGINT origins of the Five Eyes alliance
  • Reflections

    • The value of team
    • The importance of work-life balance
    • And much, much more …


      Quotes of the Week

      “Women lead differently. We talk differently, we engage in different ways. And I've had to learn to own that about myself and not be tempted to try to be like the guys, compete with them on their own terms, or to adopt male behaviors in order to be heard … [Doing that] doesn't really help other women who might come after me.” – Rachel Noble.


      Resources 

      SURFACE SKIM

      *SpyCasts*

      • Codebreaking and Codemaking Down Under with John Blaxland and Clare Birgin (2024)
      • Australian National Day Special: Intelligence Down Under with John Blaxland (2024)
      • SPY CHIEFS: Director-General of Security Mike Burgess - ASIO, Australia & America (2022)
      • Keeping Secrets/Disclosing Secrets with Spy Chief turned DG of Australia’s National Archives David Fricker (2022) 

        *Beginner Resources*

        • What is SIGINT? YouTube (2020) [2 min. video]
        • Who we are, Australian Signals Directorate (2020) [Short article]
        • Our Agencies, National Intelligence Community of Australia (n.d.) [Overview of each agency in the Australian IC]

          DEEPER DIVE

          Primary Sources 

          • REDSPICE Blueprint (2022)
          • Report of the Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security (1977) 
          • Australian Treaty Series: Five Power Defence Agreements (1971)
          • Australian Treaty Series: Agreement between the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Government of the United States of America relating to the Establishment of a Joint Defence Space Research Facility (1966)
          • Policy file containing Cabinet approval of establishment of Joint Intelligence Organisation and participation of New Zealand Government (1946) 
          • ASD Role and effectiveness of Signals Intelligence in World War II (1945)

            *Wildcard Resource*

            • Rachel mentioned in this podcast episode that one of her favorite treats when coming to the States are Snickerdoodles – A delectable sugar cookie showered in cinnamon-sugar topping. 
            • In the cookie world, snickerdoodles are a more recent invention with their first written mention being in an 1889 cookbook. Learn more about the history of cookies here
            • Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

              ...more
              View all episodesView all episodes
              Download on the App Store

              SpyCastBy SpyCast

              • 5
              • 5
              • 5
              • 5
              • 5

              5

              4 ratings


              More shows like SpyCast

              View all
              SpyCast by SpyCast

              SpyCast

              1,532 Listeners

              Dan Snow's History Hit by History Hit

              Dan Snow's History Hit

              4,803 Listeners

              Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current Affairs by Secrets & Spies

              Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current Affairs

              268 Listeners

              Darknet Diaries by Jack Rhysider

              Darknet Diaries

              8,049 Listeners

              TRIGGERnometry by TRIGGERnometry

              TRIGGERnometry

              2,112 Listeners

              WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk by Goalhanger

              WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk

              1,420 Listeners

              The Team House by dee takos

              The Team House

              1,644 Listeners

              True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics by SPYSCAPE

              True Spies: Espionage | Investigation | Crime | Murder | Detective | Politics

              1,952 Listeners

              In Moscow's Shadows by Mark Galeotti

              In Moscow's Shadows

              371 Listeners

              SPYCRAFT 101 by Justin Black

              SPYCRAFT 101

              346 Listeners

              Short History Of... by NOISER

              Short History Of...

              2,833 Listeners

              NatSec Matters by Beacon Global Strategies LLC

              NatSec Matters

              268 Listeners

              The Spy Who by Wondery

              The Spy Who

              587 Listeners

              The Poppy Day Bomb | Times Investigates by The Times

              The Poppy Day Bomb | Times Investigates

              35 Listeners

              The Rest Is Classified by Goalhanger

              The Rest Is Classified

              1,009 Listeners