Mr Mike Burgess, Director-General
17 October 2022
ASIO’s purpose is to protect Australia and Australians from threats to their security. Those threats are complex, challenging and changing. Espionage and foreign interference has surpassed terrorism as Australia’s principal security concern. This reflects both the growing scale and sophistication of these threats to our way of life, as well as a recent moderation in ASIO’s counter-terrorism caseload.
It is critical to note, however, that threats to life will always be a priority for ASIO. The most likely terrorist attack scenario in Australia continues to be a lone actor attack without warning, using a rudimentary and readily available weapon such as a knife or vehicle.
Since 2012, around 230 Australians (or former Australians) travelled to Syria and Iraq to join religiously motived violent extremist groups like ISIL and al-Qa'ida. Some, but not all, of these individuals are likely to maintain violent extremist ideologies, links to other extremists, and if they return to Australia they will bring home capabilities learned in a conflict zone. Some, but not all, of these individuals may pose a latent threat to the security environment—although we assess this is unlikely to significantly change Australia’s overall threat landscape in the near term.
Temporary Exclusion Orders (TEOs) provide the Australian Government with an additional tool to manage Australians of counter-terrorism interest offshore, and their return to Australia, including—subject to approval by the Minister for Home Affairs—post-entry conditions to prevent an individual resuming terrorist activities once back onshore.
Given the potential security threat represented by Australians of counter-terrorism interest still offshore, TEOs remain an important tool to manage returns to Australia. Australia’s counter-terrorism framework is mature and robust, and Temporary Exclusion Orders are a valuable part of it.
Thank you for this opportunity to brief you. I look forward to your questions.