Foreign Interference Threatening Australia’s Political System and Immigrant Communities
The head of Australia’s spy agency, the Australian Security and Intelligence Organization (ASIO), has accused several friendly countries of engaging in ”foreign interference.” ASIO chief Mike Burgess revealed that several nations, beyond Iran, have been secretly attempting to influence Australia’s political system and immigrant communities.
Last year, Australia accused Iran of foreign interference in an incident involving the monitoring of an Iranian-born Australian’s home, which was intercepted by Australian intelligence. Burgess identified at least three or four countries actively involved in foreign intervention within Australian diaspora communities, with some surprising allies among them.
The spy chief confirmed the government’s previous allegation of Iranian involvement but declined to name other implicated countries. He listed foreign interference, espionage, and violent political unrest as Australia’s primary security concerns.
Burgess highlighted the proliferation of misinformation on social media, making it more difficult to counter violent political uprisings. He expressed concern about the impact of mobile devices on young children, exposing them to extremist ideologies. With the next general election scheduled for 2025, such threats will be closely monitored.