Appointment of Director General Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd announced today the appointment of Dr Robert Floyd as Director General of the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO).Mr Rudd also thanked the outgoing Director General, John Carlson, for his contribution over the 21 years he had held the position.

ASNO’s principal focus is on international and domestic action against the proliferation of nuclear and chemical weapons. This work relates directly to international and national security, and important areas of foreign policy.

In particular, ASNO works to strengthen the operation and effectiveness of relevant treaty regimes through the application of specialist knowledge to complex policy problems in technical areas, including treaty verification and compliance. ASNO also performs domestic regulatory functions to ensure that Australia complies with treaty commitments and that the public is protected through the application of high standards of security to nuclear materials and facilities.

ASNO is Australia’s national authority for International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. ASNO’s responsibilities also include the operation of the bilateral nuclear agreements applying to Australia’s uranium exports.

Dr Floyd is a senior career officer and was most recently, Assistant Secretary of Emergency Management and Proliferation Issues, Homeland and Border Security Division within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C). Dr Floyd also served as Assistant Secretary, National Security Division; International Programs Coordinator and Chemical, Biological and Nuclear (CBRN) Countermeasures Capability Coordinator, National Security and Technology Unit of PM&C.

Dr Floyd has also been Leader of Secure Australia Program, of CSIRO and was a research scientist for nearly 20 years. He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy from Griffith University and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of New England.