What are serious threats to Australia’s border integrity?
The movement of people and goods across Australia’s borders is essential for our national prosperity. But some adversaries seek to exploit Australia’s borders to further their own interests or harm us. While many of these activities are purely criminal and are the responsibility of law enforcement and border agencies, ASIO has a role to play in those instances where these activities—such as people smuggling—are likely to pose a serious threat to Australia’s territorial and border integrity.
The current threat environment
Changes in the international security environment, including localised deterioration of security conditions, conflicts, state or ethnic oppression or persecution, and resource shortages and natural disasters, all have potential to result in increased threat to Australia’s borders. In 2021, events in Afghanistan highlighted the potential for international security conditions to change rapidly.
Serious threats to Australia’s border integrity can emerge where extreme deterioration in security environments offshore results in displacement of people from their homes, and especially where such conditions are exploited by people smugglers to facilitate irregular migration seeking to circumvent official pathways. People smugglers operated even when COVID-19 restricted international movement and we expect they will continue to threaten Australia’s border integrity.
ASIO monitors changes in the international security environment which might see an increase in threat to our borders.
What ASIO does to counter serious threats to Australia’s border integrity
ASIO undertakes investigative and disruptive action to identify and protect Australia’s territorial and border integrity from serious threats. ASIO’s counter-people smuggling investigations are a critical component of our efforts to ensure people smuggling pathways are not exploited by individuals who may seek to harm Australia’s interests.
ASIO works closely with other Australian Government agencies to effectively fulfil our border security remit. This includes participating in Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB).
ASIO’s advice also assists other Australian agencies to manage and/or disrupt activities that represent a serious threat to Australia’s border integrity. Under Australia’s migration laws, people seeking an Australian visa must be screened on character, health and security grounds. ASIO is responsible for the security-checking component—we provide thousands of security assessments each year to support Department of Home Affairs decisions about whether to issue visas to people seeking to enter Australia. To inform our assessments, we draw on our global network of intelligence partners as well as our own unique collection and assessment capabilities.