Mr Mike Burgess, Director-General of Security
18 October 2023
Thank you Chris and thanks for hosting us here.
It’s no surprise nations want to steal Australian innovation.
From the electric drill to wi-fi… penicillin to google maps… the black box recorder to the refrigerator, Australia is a nation of innovation.
I mention these not to boast but to remind us that innovation can be life-saving and world-changing – which makes it so valuable.
Each of our countries could make similar claims. Innovation is a global endeavour; no one country can claim to be leaders – unless you cheat.
All nations spy; all nations pursue strategic advantage. But this Summit is about behaviour that goes well beyond traditional espionage.
The Chinese government is engaged in the most sustained, scaled and sophisticated theft of intellectual property and expertise in history. It is unprecedented and it is unacceptable.
China has developed a ruthless business model to seize commercial advantage.
Stealing intellectual property is the first step. Then they use talent programs, joint ventures and acquisitions to harvest the expertise required to exploit the I.P.
Sometimes the technology is put to military use, often it’s given to favoured companies to mass produce it, under-cutting and undermining the innovator.
Our discussions here will raise awareness of these threats and improve our collective defences.
Simple steps can make a major difference. We cannot think we are defenceless or that resistance is futile.
The threats facing the tech sector are serious, but not insurmountable. Our adversaries are sophisticated, but not unstoppable.
Just last month, ASIO detected and disrupted a plot to infiltrate a prestigious Australian research institution.
The plot involved a visiting professor – a genuine academic who had been recruited by Chinese intelligence.
The spymasters gave him money and a shopping list of intelligence requirements and sent him to Australia.
The academic set his Australian students research assignments that specifically covered many of the intelligence requirements.
I took a personal interest in the case. As an engineer, I was flattered one of the topics researched was me – although if they were looking for the next Mark Zuckerberg, they targeted the wrong geek!
Working with the research institute, ASIO intervened and removed the professor from the country before any harm could be done.
This sort of thing happens every day in Australia, just as it happens in all our countries.
We will meet and defeat this threat because we have a weapon our adversaries lack – the power of partnerships.
The partnership of the Five Eyes, which is underpinned by our shared values and common resolve.
The partnerships with our tech and academic sectors. Security is a shared responsibility, and we want to work with you to raise awareness, strengthen defences, build resilience and secure your success.
This Summit embodies these partnerships.
This Summit will advance these partnerships.
This Summit will protect these partnerships.