Antisemitism at centre of unprecedented Australian security crisis

Last Wednesday, ASIO chief Mike Burgess delivered his sixth Annual Threat Assessment. In an unprecedented move, rather than focusing solely on past and present threats, Burgess declassified parts of ASIO’s future security assessment, warning that Australia faces the most difficult security environment in 50 years.

Over the next five years, ASIO expects “an unprecedented number of challenges and an unprecedented cumulative level of potential harm”, Burgess stated. He also warned that the threat landscape will become more diverse.

Burgess cited the rise in antisemitism, noting that the Israel-Gaza conflict has exacerbated antisemitic incidents in Australia, giving extremists an excuse to escalate threats and violence. He warned that communal violence is expected to rise over the next five years, further straining social cohesion. According to Burgess, the conflict has led to the normalisation of violent protests and intimidation, lowering the threshold for provocative and potentially violent acts against Jewish Australians.

What began as rhetoric about “freeing Palestine”, he noted, has evolved into explicit incitements to harm Jewish individuals and communities. He expressed concern that these antisemitic attacks—ranging from harassment to targeting places of worship and prominent figures—have not yet peaked.

"Threats are intersecting, boundaries are blurring...Is an attack on a synagogue terrorism, communal violence, politically motivated violence or foreign interference? Depending on circumstances and motivations, it could be all of those things, or none of those things." 

In a later interview with 60 Minutes, Burgess revealed that ASIO is now targeting organised crime and outlaw bikie gangs due to their involvement in antisemitic attacks and links to hostile foreign states. This marks a shift from ASIO’s traditional focus on extremism and espionage. Burgess warned that hostile nations are using criminal groups to further their strategic interests, including targeting dissidents and carrying out attacks. He explicitly stated that criminals working for foreign actors would now face ASIO scrutiny.