February 10, 2022
ASIO has revealed it has uncovered a “foreign interference plot” to influence an Australian election in its annual address, highlighting a number of national security issues the intelligence agency is currently investigating.
Speaking on Wednesday evening, ASIO Director-General of Security Mike Burgess confirmed espionage and foreign interference on democracy within Australia has now “supplanted” terrorism as the nation’s “principal security concern”.
He warned foreign spies have used social media and dating apps to mine confidential information from “thousands” of Australians with access to classified information.
“These spies are adept at using the internet for their recruitment efforts,” Mr Burgess said.
“There‘s been a jump in suspicious approaches on messaging platforms like WhatsApp, for example. ASIO is also tracking suspicious approaches on dating platforms such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge.”
Speaking on Thursday morning, Senator James Paterson, who sits on the Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, shared his own golden piece of dating app wisdom for Aussies who could be duped by foreign catfishers.
“If it’s too good to be true, it probably is,” the Liberal politician, who appears to know a thing or two about keeping it real on dating apps, told reporters today.
“If you‘re a six and they’re a 10 -- it might not be your looks that they’ve been charmed by, it might be your access to classified information.”
Mr Burgess also confirmed the organisation had disrupted an attempt at affecting an election in Australia via a “wealthy individual with deep connections”.
Mr Burgess warned potential targets to remain vigilant of the various types of approaches used by foreign powers, including job offers and messaging on encrypted messenger apps.
“I can confirm that ASIO recently detected and disrupted a foreign interference plot in the lead-up to an election in Australia. This case involved a wealthy individual who maintained direct and deep connections with a foreign government and its intelligence agencies,” the ASIO boss continued, describing the person involved as “the puppeteer”.
He said while the puppeteer pulled the strings, the foreign government “called the shots”.
The “puppeteer” reportedly hired a person to enable foreign interference operations and used an offshore bank account to provide “hundreds of thousands of dollars for operating expenses”.
ASIO reported the operation was “secretly shaping the jurisdiction’s political scene to benefit the foreign power”, likening it as a “foreign interference start-up”.
“The employee hired by the puppeteer began identifying candidates likely to run in the election who either supported the interests of the foreign government or who were assessed as vulnerable to inducements and cultivation,” Mr Burgess said.
“The employee used existing relationships with politicians, staffers and journalists to select potential targets, without revealing the secret intent, the foreign connection or the puppeteer’s involvement.”
The “puppeteer” and the employee reportedly “plotted ways of advancing the candidates’ political prospects through generous support, placing favourable stories in foreign language news platforms and providing other forms of assistance”.
They then reportedly investigated hiring political consultants, advertising agencies and PR specialists to help individual campaigns.
“The aim was not just to get the candidates into positions of power, but also to generate a sense of appreciation, obligation and indebtedness that could subsequently be exploited,” Mr Burgess continued.
According to ASIO, the political candidates had no knowledge of the plot.
“Even if the plan had proceeded, they would not have known who was pulling the strings. The puppeteer used the employee as a cut-out. This deliberate deceit and secrecy about the foreign government connection is what took the case into the realm of foreign interference.”
Mr Burgess said despite growing concerns and breaches, Australian democracy “remains robust”.
“Our parliaments remain sovereign, our elections remain free and the overwhelming majority of our politicians remain thoroughly resistant to even the most sophisticated and subtle approaches,” he said.
“The threats facing Australia are serious, but not insurmountable. Our adversaries are sophisticated, but not unstoppable.”
The ASIO boss also confirmed the organisation is keeping an eye on protesters involved in nationwide anti-vaccination mandate rallies, claiming these movements are prone to radicalising portions of the population.
“Some Australians believe the government‘s approach to vaccinations and lockdowns infringed their freedoms. And in a small number of cases, grievance turned to violence,” he said.
Mr Burgess surprisingly revealed suspects under the age of 18 are dominating ASIO‘s priority counter-terrorism investigations each week.
He said more than half of investigations were being conducted on minors.
“Where once minors tended to be on the fringe of extremist groups, we are now seeing teenagers in leadership positions, directing adults, and willing to take violent action themselves,” he continued.
“ASIO is aware of minors preying on other minors, seeking to turn them to their violent ideology and using grooming techniques similar to those used by paedophiles.”
