Director-General’s Opening Statement
Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
23 May 2007
Thank you for the opportunity to make some opening remarks.
Australia continues to face a challenging and dynamic security environment.
We continue to be a terrorist target and the threat of attacks is likely to be with us for many years.
An attack in Australia remains feasible and could well occur.
Future attacks overseas are almost certain, whether directed against Australians or involving Australians in some way.
Other threats also persist, including from espionage and acts of foreign interference.
A snapshot of the continuing and pervasive nature of the global terrorist threat is illustrated by the following events since the end of February 2007.
On 26 February, al-Qa'ida deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri again called on Muslims to confront 'Crusader' forces - and that includes Australians - in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.
Between 27 February and 8 May there were ten significant attacks in six countries - excluding Iraq (Philippines, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria).
These attacks resulted in the deaths of 79 individuals with another 286 were wounded.
One Australian was among eight who were kidnapped in the Delta region of Nigeria on 2 May but fortunately was released unharmed.
Other planned terrorist operations were disrupted.
It is clear that the security situation in Australia, in our region and in other parts of the world will remain complex and demanding for some time.
There are extremist groups in a number of places around the world who are intent on conducting attacks on Australian interests.
Individuals in Australia or linked to Australia have been tried and convicted on terrorism-related charges.
Where others are known to have links to terrorism, ASIO has a responsibility to investigate and assess any threat and to issue current advice to the relevant authorities.
And we must focus on potential sources of new threats, including areas which previously have not attracted significant attention.
All of this must be done in an environment of increasing technological sophistication.
It is ASIO's responsibility to investigate matters that are relevant to security, to formulate assessments - which remain subject to review and revision in the light of new information or experience - and to provide the best advice that it can at a point in time.
The National Counter-Terrorism Plan states that Australia relies upon a strong intelligence-led prevention and preparedness regime to support its counter-terrorism strategy.
Within that framework, the focus of ASIO's investigations is directed at the prevention of harm to Australia, Australians and Australian interests, wherever they may be.
The resources available to ASIO to meet this responsibility continue to grow in line with the decisions by the Government in 2005.
Senators may have noticed the extensive public recruitment campaign that ASIO continues to undertake.
The fact that ASIO is growing and is seeking to recruit a range of people for a variety of jobs periodically attracts media attention.
With the Committee's indulgence, I would like to place some facts on the record.
ASIO now has more than 1300 staff and our recruitment efforts are well on track.
ASIO has boosted staffing levels across a range of job families, including intelligence officers and analysts; specialised linguists and translators; surveillance, information technology and other technical specialists; as well as a range of other staff across the full range of ASIO's functions.
Recruitment of additional staff in these categories will continue out to 2010-11.
ASIO does not make available publicly a breakdown of the number of staff in each category or job family for reasons of national security.
However, I can say that the additional staff that ASIO has recruited, including from a range of cultural, linguistic, professional and educational backgrounds continue to enhance ASIO's investigative and other capabilities.
ASIO will continue to seek additional staff with specialised skills, including in foreign languages, as part of our ongoing recruitment efforts.
In a tight and competitive employment market, continuing to attract the high calibre staff that we need will be challenging.
But we have a clear strategy in place to ensure that we recruit the right people at the right time so that the Organisation grows while continuing to meet critical business priorities.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security was provided with a comprehensive classified submission that addressed staffing and other resource matters as part of its current Review of Administration and Expenditure.
An unclassified version of ASIO's submission is available on the Committee's website and on ASIO's website.
I will be pleased to respond to your questions.