Australian spy chief details unprecedented espionage danger that ‘feels like hand-to-hand combat’
- More Australians are being targeted for espionage and foreign interference than at any time in Australia’s history
- Australia’s domestic spy agency said online targeting of people working in Australia’s defense industry has risen since September 2021
Multiple nations were using espionage and foreign interference to advance their interests and undermine Australia’s, Mike Burgess, secretary-general of security at the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), said in his 21-page assessment speech.
“They are using espionage to covertly understand Australia’s politics and decision-making, our alliances and partnerships, and our economic and policy priorities,” Burgess said.
“Based on what ASIO is seeing, more Australians are being targeted for espionage and foreign interference than at any time in Australia’s history – more hostile foreign intelligence services, more spies, more targeting, more harm, more ASIO investigations, more ASIO disruptions.”
He added, “From where I sit, it feels like hand-to-hand combat.”
His comments were released to the media before the speech at ASIO headquarters in the Australian capital Canberra.