June 2000
http://law.gov.au/ministers/attorney-general/articles/ASIO.html
Launch of the ASIO Website
Room 1R4, Parliament House
Canberra
11:15am, Thursday 22 June 2000
Introduction
1. I am pleased to be here today to launch the new website for the Australian
Security Intelligence Organisation.
2. It ís not often that the general public gets an insight into our domestic
intelligence agency.
As the Minister responsible for national security, I can tell you there
ís no trenchcoats, no telephones in shoes and no secret handshakes.
As far as I am aware, ASIO agents do not have a penchant for martinis,
shaken or stirred.
3. But there is still a mystique surrounding the intelligence community.
While much of that image is perpetuated by Hollywood, obviously the nature
of ASIO's work means that many of its operations must remain secret.
4. However, the website means more Australians can access
information about exactly what ASIO does and how it must account for its
actions.
The security environment
5. In a country like ours that has been relatively free of acts of espionage,
foreign interference, terrorism and other political violence, most of
us give little thought to the activities of our intelligence organisations.
6. Compared with many other countries, Australia faces a low overall
level of security threat.
This is largely due to our political, social and economic systems and
Australia's clear borders.
7. But as international relationships become more fluid and new technologies
unite people with common causes, it is imperative that the Government
is kept informed about current threats to national security.
We also need to be forewarned about emerging threats.
8. Most security threats facing Australia have their origins
overseas.
They include the efforts of foreign governments to use clandestine or
deceptive means to further their goals in Australia and politically motivated
violence arising from overseas conflicts.
What is ASIO?
9. ASIO is a member of a group of five Commonwealth intelligence agencies,
each with distinct responsibilities to protect national security.
They include the Office of National Assessments, the Australian Secret
Intelligence Service, the Defence Signals Directorate and the Defence
Intelligence Organisation.
10. ASIO's main role is to gather information and to produce intelligence
that will enable it to warn the government about activities or situations
that might endanger Australia's national security.
ASIO focuses on terrorists, spies and people who may act violently for
political reasons.
It does not investigate lawful protest activity nor does it investigate
purely criminal activities.
11. ASIO's other functions include issuing threat assessments for the
protection of visiting dignitaries, for our own members of Parliament
and for special events of national and international significance.
This information ensures our law enforcement agencies can provide appropriate
levels of protection.
12. ASIO also interacts with the Department of Immigration and Multicultural
Affairs in the process for issuing visas to visitors.
And it plays an important part in the process for granting security clearances
to Government staff.
13. ASIO also has significant expertise in providing physical security
advice for government to ensure that buildings, offices and even briefcases,
for example, are secure.
The advice comes from the ASIO technical group known in the security industry
as T4.
14. Most interest in ASIO's work focuses on its use of intrusive methods
of investigation.
However, you might be surprised to know that much of the information it
gathers comes from publicly available sources such as news services and
statistical databases.
Other information is gathered by ASIO or volunteered by people who are
concerned about security matters.
A good deal of useful information comes from cooperating intelligence
services in other countries.
15. However, if there is sufficient justification, I may
be asked to sign a warrant allowing ASIO to employ special investigative
powers to intercept telecommunications, use listening and tracking devices,
remotely access computers, enter and search premises and examine postal
articles.
As Attorney-General, I must be satisfied the warrant is required to investigate
whether harmful activities are being planned or carried out by people
who are generally using clandestine or deceptive means to mask their true
intentions.
ASIO and accountability
16. This is just one of the mechanisms designed to ensure ASIO is accountable
to Government.
17. As well, the Organisation is subject to scrutiny by the Office of
the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and the Parliamentary
Joint Committee on ASIO.
This committee is currently examining the nature, scope and appropriateness
of the way in which ASIO reports to the Australian public on its activities.
ASIO history on-line
18. A timeline of significant security events in Australia's history,
published for the first time on this website, indicates how the accountability
requirements under which ASIO now operates have developed over the years.
19. The timeline includes a copy of the original Directive signed by
Prime Minister Ben Chifley establishing a security service in 1949 under
Justice Geoffrey Reed.
You can also view the Charter signed in 1950 by Prime Minister Robert
Menzies.
20. These were the predecessors to the first ASIO Act passed by Parliament
in 1956.
The basic tenets of the 1949 and 1950 documents have survived as corner
stones in the current ASIO Act.
That is, ASIO is a civilian service without police powers, free of political
bias and its activities are confined to what is necessary to carry out
its functions.
21. The timeline also highlights the shift in the security
environment from a focus on monitoring Soviet spies based in Australia
during the Cold War period to the current focus on providing assessments
relating to the security of the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
ASIO's role in Olympic Security
22. Obviously the Games will be the biggest series of events ever held
in Australia.
We acknowledge that these events could provide an international stage
on which some groups could seek to advance their cause through acts of
violence.
23. I am aware of speculation in the media about perceived threats of
terrorism against the Sydney 2000 Games.
The policy of successive Australian governments is not to comment on matters
of national security.
24. Obviously the security of the Games will not be enhanced if I make
detailed comment on every bit of speculation that is likely to arise between
now and September.
However, I must stress that Australia has well practised, cooperative
arrangements in place to respond to any security-related incident.
Foreign governments have expressed their confidence in those arrangements.
25. New South Wales police have primary responsibility for security at
the Olympics.
The Commonwealth is responsible for national security and is supporting
NSW in a range of security matters.
26. The NSW Police Service and other Commonwealth and State agencies,
including ASIO and the Australian Defence Force, plan for possible terrorist
incidents on an ongoing basis.
This planning involves working with other countries and foreign intelligence
agencies to ensure the Olympics are as safe as possible.
In fact, there will be a briefing for foreign security officials on Australia's
security preparations for the Games at the end of next month.
27. ASIO's Olympic responsibilities include providing security intelligence
advice on possible threats to athletes, officials and sporting venues.
This is being done through the Federal Olympic Security Intelligence Centre,
known as the FOSIC.
28. Last financial year, ASIO produced 46 threat assessments for the
Games.
This year, ASIO has produced more than 300 Olympic threat assessments.
At the moment, ASIO is actively providing advice on threats to the Olympic
Torch Relay.
29. In the event of an actual terrorist incident at the
Games, ASIO will be one of the agencies involved in the resolution.
Conclusion
30. With the launch of this website, ASIO joins the other four intelligence
agencies online.
31. Last year, ASIO celebrated fifty years of service.
Any organisation dealing with issues as sensitive as security intelligence
matters during that period has faced considerable challenges and criticism.
Unfortunately, many of ASIO's successes cannot be made public.
32. I am confident ASIO will continue to serve all Australians by helping
the Commonwealth Government to deliver a secure national environment.