SYDNEY: Australia’s domestic spy agency has increasingly stepped out of the shadows in recent years, sounding public warnings about the growing threat posed by foreign agents operating inside the country.
The head of the agency, Mike Burgess, has delivered an annual threat assessment address since 2020 and makes regular public appearances to urge greater vigilance against risks such as cyber attacks, foreign interference, terrorism and traditional espionage.
But in an address to the Lowy Institute on Nov 4, Burgess, who heads the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), added a new – and somewhat surprising – threat to the list, warning that ASIO had assessed that “at least three” countries could try to assassinate opponents in Australia.
His warnings came amid growing concern about attempts by foreign governments to conduct interference, espionage and potential attacks in Australia.
“In Australia, we always had an additional level of isolation from this kind of activity because of the sheer power of geography,” said Chris Taylor, a former national security official who heads the Statecraft and Intelligence Policy Centre at the Australian Strategic Policy In
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