Commentary The revelation by Mike Burgess, the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), that foreign espionage has increased significantly in Australia was unsurprising. Burgess said two years ago that Asia’s counter-espionage activities had surpassed its anti-terrorism efforts in recent times. He previously warned of a plot by a foreign government to have candidates…

Foreign spies are posing as diplomats or reporters to engage and influence journalists, says Australia’s domestic spy chief Mike Burgess. In his wide-ranging Annual Threat Assessment speech, the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) also revealed his agency recently disrupted a “hive of spies” implanted in society for many years. “I am telling…

Australia’s top intelligence official says a small but concerning number of former defence insiders are putting cash before country. ASIO boss Mike Burgess revealed in his latest annual threat assessment his agency had been tracking veterans willing to sell their military training and expertise to foreign governments for several years. But the issue has only…

Threat levels of violent extremism linked to COVID lockdowns have decreased markedly over the past year, according to Australia’s domestic spy chief. “It is true; there are less people in this country who want to conduct active violence in the name of their cause,” said Mike Burgess, head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)….

Australia’s terror threat level has been downgraded, with the director general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) saying that decision was not taken lightly or made casually. In a speech on Nov. 28, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said that although the country remains a potential target for terrorists, there are fewer groups who would undertake…

Analysis The Australian government has called into question the federal opposition’s “track record” on China declaring Labor has not announced any policy positions relating to the communist regime, even as the federal election nears. Speaking at a Senate Estimates hearing on Feb. 17, Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said there was a big difference between the…

Espionage and foreign interference have become a more serious threat to Australia than terrorism, the boss of the country’s spy agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), told a Senate estimates hearing on Feb. 14. This comes amid revelations that ASIO disrupted a plot by an agent, referred to as the “puppeteer,” acting on behalf…

The head of Australia’s national security service and intelligence agency said it was vital that the security service of a liberal democracy is transparent and trusted. In his annual threat assessment speech, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation’s (ASIO) Director-General, Mike Burgess, described his vision to push the organisation to become more transparent. “ASIO protects Australia and…

Australia’s domestic intelligence chief has said he believes that a terrorist attack on Australian soil is likely within the next year. The comments came during a parliamentary inquiry, where the Australian Federal Police chief called the internet a “salad bar of hate” responsible for amplifying extremist messaging. Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence…

Australia’s domestic spy chief is standing by the agency’s decision to drop the sensitive term “Islamic extremism” to “religiously motivated violent extremism,” saying such activity was not limited to one religion. Mike Burgess, the director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), did concede, though that Islamic extremism was the leading motivator behind recent terrorist…