Mr Mike Burgess AM, Director-General of Security
12 July 2024
ASIO is Australia’s spy catcher.
It’s a responsibility we take extremely seriously. If you are spying in this country, we are looking for you; if you are being spied on in this country, we are looking out for you.
I acknowledge the work of the Australian Federal Police and the Counter Foreign Interference Taskforce on this case, as well as the other ASIO teams that undertook such a lengthy, patient and complex investigation.
I also want to commend Defence for its security awareness, that led ASIO and the Taskforce to intervene early and control the operation.
This case reflects and demonstrates an effective security culture, not a deficient one.
I will make no further comment on this particular case because I appreciate the charges have not been tested in court and we must respect the presumption of innocence. Instead, I will make four general points about the threats facing Australia and ASIO’s work to counter them.
First:
The espionage threat is real. Multiple countries are seeking to steal Australia’s secrets. We cannot be naive, and we cannot be complacent.
Espionage is not some quaint cold war notion. Espionage damages our economy and degrades our strategic advantage. It has catastrophic real-world consequences.
Foreign intelligence services are capable, determined and patient. They play the long game.
The problem for them is ASIO does too. And that brings me to my second point.
ASIO is on the case.
The ASIO Act makes our responsibilities clear. If you are conducting espionage in this country, we will detect you and we will deal with you.
Normally that is through intelligence led disruptions, but when we can support a prosecution, we will support a prosecution.
Third:
Security is a shared responsibility.
The scale and sophistication of this threat facing Australia demands that individuals, governments and industries take security seriously.
I know Defence understands this. Every day, they work closely with my organisation, ASIO, to protect our military capabilities and secure Australia's secrets.
Fourth and finally, I want to speak directly to the operatives of Russian Intelligence services.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Petrovs, two Russian spies who gave ASIO and our allies the names of hundreds of Russian assets operating in Australia and in Western countries.
If you want to share your secrets, please reach out. ASIO is always listening.
