The Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office (ASNO) was established by the
Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...
to enhance
national
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, c ...
and
international security by contributing to "effective regimes against the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to numerous individuals or cause great damage to artificial structures (e.g., buildings), natu ...
." It combines three
Commonwealth agencies: the Australian Safeguards Office (ASO), the
Chemical Weapons Convention Office (CWCO), and the Australian Comprehensive Test Ban Office (ACTBO).
ASNO's Director General is a statutory officer, and his staff are
public servants employed by the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The Director General has reported directly to the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
since 1994.
[{{Cite web, title = About the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, url = http://dfat.gov.au/international-relations/security/asno/Pages/about-the-australian-safeguards-and-non-proliferation-office.aspx, website = dfat.gov.au, accessdate = 2015-08-02]
References
Commonwealth Government agencies of Australia
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)