Russell Offices

This article is about the building complex in Canberra. For the building in the District of Columbia, see Russell Senate Office Building.

Russell Offices
Canberra, Australia
The Russell Offices photographed from Mount Pleasant
The Russell Offices photographed from Mount Pleasant
TypeGovernment offices
Site information
OwnerAustralian Government
Controlled byAustralian Department of Defence and the National Capital Authority
Open to
the public		No
Site history
Built1960–1990
In useAdministrative offices
Garrison information
GarrisonAustralian Defence Organisation
OccupantsOffices of the Australian Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force

The Russell Offices, also referred to as Russell or RO, is a complex of office buildings located in Russell, a suburb of Canberra,[1] constituting the seat of the Australian Department of Defence and part of the administrative headquarters of the Australian Defence Force. The land area of the Russell Offices is managed and secured by the National Capital Authority.[2][3]

Together with Campbell Park, these two government complexes house the offices of the Department of Defence and contain the administrative headquarters of the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army.[4] As well as other strategic, military and defence departments including those of the Australian Intelligence Community. The buildings in the complex are informally referred to as R1, R2 and so forth. R1–R4 are located together in the centre of the Russell complex,[5] R5–R7 are located to the north,[6] while R8 and R9 are together at the south.[7]

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) was located at Russell until their move into the Ben Chifley Building in July 2013.[8]

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) occupies Building 5 (R5) and Building 6 (R6) and their annexe.[9] Upgrade works costing an estimated $75M were put to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works in March 2017.[10] The project is in the Department of Defence budget.[11]

The Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO) is located in Building 4 (R4).[12]

Security for the Russell Offices Complex is administered by the Australian Federal Police. However, ADF Military Police and the ACT Police will occasionally provide security for the area.

  1. ^ "RUSSELL OFFICES, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY" (PDF). Australian Government, Department of Defence. 1 October 2013.
  2. ^ "Pay parking: Russell and Constitution Avenue". 24 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Russell Precint".
  4. ^ "Russell Offices". Royal Australian Air Force. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  5. ^ "canberra". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  6. ^ "canberra". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  7. ^ "canberra". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Rudd opens new ASIO headquarters in Canberra". ABC News. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  9. ^ "$75m upgrade to national security facilities". 2 March 2017.
  10. ^ https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Public_Works/GardenIslandEast/Report_5/section?id=committees%2Freportjnt%2F024079%2F24726
  11. ^ http://www.defence.gov.au/Budget/18-19/2018-19_Defence_PBS_03_Appendices.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  12. ^ "Contact Us". Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation. AGO. Retrieved 23 February 2019.