Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association
Director-General's Address
'Security Issues in a Sustainable Industry'
19 June 2006
Thank you Mr Chairman and the members of the Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association for the opportunity to speak to this conference today.
National security in Australia has, for some years now, received greater prominence in the mainstream media and in wider public discourse.
Nonetheless, Australians tend to have an optimistic perception of the security environment, no doubt influenced by the fact that we have not experienced a recent terrorist attack within Australia.
The challenge for all of us - government, business and the community alike - is maintain a realistic appreciation of the threats we face and to be diligent in responding to information or incidents of potential concern.
Within this environment, part of my role as Director-General of Security is to engage with key elements of the business community to develop and strengthen what I see as an important partnership.
I will start with a few general comments about the security environment then move on to offer my perspectives on the implications for those working in the plastics and chemicals industries. And I will outline initiatives undertaken by ASIO to help the business community better understand the threat it faces from terrorism.
Security Environment
I have said on a number of occasions that a terrorist attack in Australia is feasible and could occur at any time, including without warning.
We know that Australians were the intended victims in terrorist attacks in Bali, Jakarta and Iraq while other Australians have been caught up in attacks directed at others.
Almost certainly there will be more Australian victims in future attacks, whether they occur in Australia or elsewhere in the world.
The ongoing challenge we all face is to ensure that we remain vigilant in responding to the threat in ways that are measured, determined and appropriate.
It is important, therefore, that we regularly examine and test our thinking about the nature of the threat we face, how it might manifest itself in the future, and how we can best protect ourselves and others.
I have spoken previously about three broad threat scenarios, although there could be any number of variations or permutations within these scenarios.
Firstly, terrorists could enter Australia undetected and commence operations, possibly with the aid of local support.
ASIO works closely other agencies to reduce the likelihood of terrorists and other individuals of security concern gaining entry to Australia.
This work, by necessity, is undertaken using risk management principles, and there can be no guarantees that we will always be successful.
Secondly, local extremists could import expertise from overseas;
Thirdly, local extremists with no known links to extremists abroad could mount an attack on their own using their own resources.
The London bombings last July showed how difficult it is to identify this type of potential attacker who is likely to have been born and raised locally and for the most part to have been an unexceptional member of the community.
The easy availability of information and material, which could be used to prepare an improvised explosive device, makes it possible to plan and conduct an attack in a short period of time.
These scenarios are by no means an exhaustive list, with the range of potential terrorist targets limited only by imagination and creativity.
I note also that prosecutors in a recent case from France, involving planned explosive attacks on a range of targets including the Eiffel Tower, commented on the "globalisation of the jihad movement"; the battleground in the fight against terrorism is indeed a global one.
It is likely that attacks as occurred on September 11, 2001, in New York and Washington would be more difficult to undertake given the protective security regime now in place at airports around the world.
But the bombings on the transport systems in Madrid and London illustrate the inherent vulnerabilities in open societies to a range of attack scenarios.
Clearly, it is not possible to make Australia 'attack-proof'. Even if it were possible, it would make everyday life in Australia uncomfortable and unworkable.
It would also require a level of security service beyond the scope of ASIO's current or projected resources and anathema to broader Australian values.
And in any event there still could be no guarantees.
In reality, Australia's intelligence and law enforcement agencies must adopt a proportionate risk management approach; one that finds the right balance between civil liberties and the protection of our citizens.
In practical terms what that means for government and business decision-makers is that we need to have a good understanding of the threat and shape our policies and practices in ways which are measured and sensible.
To add this to the numerous responsibilities of business leaders is a regrettable bi-product of today's security environment
In one sense it might be somewhat analogous to other demands on businesses that require the balancing of sometimes competing interests.
For example, one can't single-mindedly pursue business growth without taking account of issues surrounding the community, environment, health and safety of the workforce, or the longer term interests of shareholders.
And of course, businesses - as with ASIO - must operate within contemporary legal and ethical frameworks designed to protect the interests of the wider community.
Plastics and Chemicals Industry Message
ASIO's role is to provide advice to protect Australia and its people from threats to national security. Traditionally this advice was provided only to government agencies that shaped their policy or operational activity accordingly.
Increasingly, ASIO is working with key parts of the business community and providing advice that is directly relevant to their specific situations. This advice is intended to inform the risk management decisions taken by businesses which, at the end of the day, have the responsibility for protecting their assets and people.
Obviously risk management is not unfamiliar to the business world. Businesses have always encountered hazards, both natural and man-made, and generally have arrangements in place to meet such challenges.
The threat of terrorism simply adds another dimension to the risk management deliberations and actions of business.
ASIO's analysis of an industry sector naturally takes account of the potential motives a terrorist group may have in conducting an attack against the particular sector.
Motives might include causing mass casualties, having a symbolic effect, to disrupt and harm the economy, or simply for opportunistic reasons.
A group's success in undertaking an attack, however, will inevitably be determined by their ability to develop the necessary capabilities.
One of the challenges for those involved in countering the threat of terrorism is to effectively neutralise the capability of terrorist groups to achieve their goals.
Business can play its role in neutralising the capability of would-be terrorist groups; for example, by denying access to precursor materials, or to sensitive or vulnerable sites, or by having effective accountability arrangements for the handling of sensitive or dangerous items or materials.
There are other good reasons why you should be vigilant about your security procedures.
People working in the chemicals industry in particular will be acutely aware of the risks of theft of materials that could be used for bombings or contamination attacks.
You might recall, for example, the Aum Shinrikyo cult attacking the Tokyo subway system in 1995 using sarin gas; so chemical and nerve agent precursors in the hands of fanatical groups would represent a dreadful scenario.
And it of course underlines the continuing need for robust security measures that both prevent unauthorised access to dangerous goods, and provide the means to trace efficiently and account for the movement of such materials.
In the workplace it means that security managers should remain sensitive to physical vulnerabilities and to suspicious behaviour such as unusual requests to access to sensitive areas, or attempts to acquire dangerous goods, especially in unusual quantities.
Of course such awareness is consistent with the normal theft or fraud prevention measures of the business.
Mechanisms for ASIO to Assist Business - CIP & BLU
ASIO has two work units that are directly engaged with business: the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit and the Business Liaison Unit.
The Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit has a defined role within National Counter-Terrorism arrangements. The Unit is responsible for:
coordinating the listing of Australia's nationally critical assets;
publishing threat assessments for those assets within the listing that are considered 'vital' and;
producing threat assessments for industry sectors that are subsequently disseminated to a range of stakeholders, including in the private sector, through the relevant federal government department.
These sectoral threat assessments address:
previous security incidents involving the sector;
potential motives and capabilities of terrorist groups to do harm to people and assets in the sector; and
any inherent vulnerabilities of the businesses operating in the sector.
It is worth mentioning that ASIO works closely with businesses to ensure that it has a sound understanding of the business operations to ensure that the threat assessments are relevant and valuable to business.
In many instances the assessment will drive policy decisions and security investments in the private sector.
Business leaders recently conveyed to Government a need for more regular and direct liaison with the Australian Intelligence Community.
In response, the Business Liaison Unit was established by ASIO in late 2005 to provide a direct interface with business.
ASIO sees this development as yielding mutual benefits for both business and intelligence agencies.
While business will likely benefit from the closer ties and more regular information, ASIO will no doubt enhance its access to valuable information in the private sector that is relevant to our functions.
The Business Liaison Unit will provide business with:
Firstly, Business Security Reports that are updated regularly, based on sector-specific information sourced in Australia and overseas. The reports will be unclassified, disseminated directly to a wide business audience and will be updated frequently to reflect current national security information;
Secondly, other security related information; both issue-specific - for example, identifying suspicious behaviour, or recent changes to the security environment - and event-specific, perhaps focusing on upcoming forums, such as APEC 2007;
Thirdly, in July, the BLU will launch a secure website containing this information for the exclusive use of security personnel in the private sector and other trusted partners;
And finally, the BLU will provide a point of contact for business representatives to ask questions and access other services offered by the Australian Intelligence Community. Services, which might include advice on protective security, information security, and, specialist presentations to further build awareness throughout the business community on national security matters.
Concluding Remarks
In conclusion, let me emphasise a few points that I believe are important to members of this forum and more broadly.
Australia and Australians will continue to be a focus of terrorist organisations. As such;
Countering the threat of terrorism needs to be a collective effort involving all parts of the Australian community, including the business sector.
We need to be responsive to new developments in the security environment and to re-evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of our policies and practices directed at protecting our people and assets.
We need to guard against complacency.
Thank you and I hope the conference provides useful insights that you can take back and utilise within your respective businesses.