ASIO boss reappointed for five more years

Mike Burgess will remain in the ASIO top job for another five years, following his reappointment as Director-General of Security.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil on Thursday (20 June) confirmed the reappointment of the spy boss who first came into the role in 2019 under the Coalition government of Scott Morrison.

“Mr Burgess has made an extraordinary contribution to Australia’s national security and his leadership of ASIO has been invaluable in an increasingly complex security environment,” the Minister said in a statement.

“ASIO is a critical part of our national security community and plays a crucial role in protecting Australians from security threats.

“For the past 75 years ASIO’s operational and analytic efforts have helped keep Australians safe from threats like terrorism, espionage, and foreign interference.

“ASIO’s people are its greatest asset and every Australian is safer because of their diligent work.”

Ms O’Neil expressed herself more personally regarding Mr Burgess in a subsequent social media post.

“On a personal note, Mike has been an incredibly important and trusted adviser to me since I was appointed Home Affairs Minister,” she said on Twitter/X.

“I congratulate him on his reappointment.”

Mr Burgess is the 14th Director-General of Security.

Earlier this year, in his annual threat assessment, the ASIO boss controversially declared that a one-time Australian politician had been “cultivated and recruited” by savvy foreign government operatives to work against the national interest.

“This politician sold out their country, party and former colleagues to advance the interests of the foreign regime,” Mr Burgess said.

“At one point, the former politician even proposed bringing a prime minister’s family member into the spies’ orbit.”

The spy boss named neither the former politician nor the foreign government that successfully groomed them – ensuring his speech was widely reported and that speculation skyrocketed.

“When we see more Australians being targeted for espionage and foreign interference than ever before, we have a responsibility to call it out,” he added.

“Australians need to know that the threat is real. The threat is now. And the threat is deeper and broader than you might think.

“And sometimes we use public statements, such as my speech today, to shine a disinfecting light on the tactics our adversaries use, so potential targets are better able to identify and resist overtures.”

The comments sparked outrage among some former politicians – most notably former federal treasurer and ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey – who demanded he name the culprit in order to clear the rest.

“For a start, the former politician is a traitor,” Mr Hockey said during a media interview at the time.

“It wasn’t an allegation by the head of our intelligence agency, it was a statement of fact.

“It makes us all question as representatives in the parliament who we can trust. Who of our current and former colleagues can we trust? And that’s ridiculous.”

Other commentary at the time suggested Mr Burgess had pushed ASIO into party political politics with his speech all in the search of a headline, had placed current government ministers in the awkward position of having to back him, and had further dented the reputation of the Department of Home Affairs.