In a stark assessment of Australia’s security landscape, the nation’s intelligence chief, Mike Burgess, revealed that foreign spies are increasingly targeting the country’s nuclear-powered submarine program and plotting acts of violence against individuals residing in Australia. During a comprehensive speech, Burgess highlighted that the security environment is becoming “degraded,” prompting the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to declassify insights regarding the national threat outlook.
Burgess particularly emphasized the vulnerability surrounding Australia’s ambitions to deploy stealthy nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS pact with the United States and Britain. As foreign intelligence services strive to dissect the capabilities and deployment strategies of these submarines, the director-general noted that even friendly nations may engage in espionage to undermine trust in Australia among its allies.
Looking ahead to 2030, Burgess expressed concerns that adversaries may concentrate on interference strategies aimed at disrupting support for AUKUS and potentially resorting to sabotage in times of heightened regional tensions. He underscored the relentless targeting of Australian defense personnel, citing instances where international counterparts presented gifts that concealed surveillance devices.
In a pointed warning, Burgess stated that Australia is not insulated from threats posed by hostile states like Iran, highlighting ongoing ASIO investigations into at least three nations plotting to physically harm individuals on Australian soil. He recounted a specific case where a foreign intelligence service attempted to neutralize a human rights activist by luring them overseas to engineer an accident that could result in severe injury or death.
Burgess disclosed that last year alone, another rogue intelligence agency sought to harm or possibly kill individuals within Australia as part of a broader initiative to silence critics. These plots were successfully thwarted by ASIO, underscoring the agency’s vigilance against such threats.
The intelligence chief also pointed to continual attempts by multiple foreign governments to coerce Australian citizens and residents, pressuring them to report on their compatriots within the diaspora. He detailed cases where individuals faced threats to their families or saw their assets seized as tactics to force them back to their countries of origin.
Amid the rising threat landscape, Burgess assured the public that Australia’s counter-terrorism measures remain robust, with ASIO and law enforcement having disrupted dozens of major terrorism plots, including five in the past year. He revealed that less than half of the investigated plots were religiously motivated, with many being driven by mixed, nationalist, or racist ideologies predominantly associated with minors—most of whom were previously unknown to ASIO.
Notably, the median age for minors first being investigated by ASIO has dropped to 15, with 85 percent of those individuals being male and primarily Australian-born. This alarming trend has prompted concerns about a new generation becoming vulnerable to online radicalization, especially as technology continues to evolve, making extremist material more accessible.
Burgess concluded by highlighting that Australia’s national terrorism threat level was raised to “probable” last year, signaling ongoing vigilance in the face of emerging threats. He did not foresee any potential for lowering the threat level in the near future, indicating that the nation must remain alert and prepared for the challenges ahead.
