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"In terms of threats to life, [antisemitism is] my agency's number one priority because of the weight of incidents we're seeing play out in this country," he told the Senate.
By MATHILDA HELLER FEBRUARY 25, 2025 22:25
ASIO Director-General of Security Mike Burgess during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday August 5th, 2024.
(photo credit: Alex Ellinghausen / Sydney Morning Herald via Getty Images)
Antisemitism is now the "number one priority" of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the director-general of the agency, Mike Burgess, told a Senate committee on Tuesday.
"In terms of threats to life, [antisemitism is] my agency's number one priority because of the weight of incidents we're seeing play out in this country," he told the Senate. "Antisemitism and significant antisemitism acts are prominent in our investigation caseload at this point in time."
When asked whether there had ever been a time before where a form of racism was the number one concern for ASIO, Burgess said, "I don't believe we've done that in history, certainly not my six years as director-general."
In a recent 2025 threat assessment on 19 February, Burgess said, "antisemitism festered in Australia before the tragic events in the Middle East, but the drawn-out conflict gave it oxygen – and gave some antisemites an excuse."
"Jewish Australians were also increasingly conflated with the state of Israel, leading to an increase in antisemitic incidents." He added that he was "concerned these attacks have not yet plateaued."
Expanding on this with the Senate, Burgess said he could not say whether the attacks and antisemitism had plateaued or not, but that he was concerned.
He did add that his agency has "seen a transition from harassment and intimidation through to physical targeting of communities places of worship and prominent Jewish Australians."
Law enforcement response to antisemitism
Burgess stated that ASIO has been dealing with a number of serious antisemitic incidents since October last year in particular. However, he praised the "strong law enforcement responses," saying the police "have done exceptionally well." He added that the police response "helps drive a signal into society that this behavior is unaccepted [sic] but that there's always a lag between events and response."
In response to criticism over delays in arrests and responses to antisemitic incidents, Burgess said, "Investigations do take time, and it's not because we're sitting back admiring the problem, but actually getting a grip of the problem does take time."
He also said it "defies logic that people can hold Jewish Australians to account for the actions of the Israeli state" and that "some people have those very strong views that might drive a small number to think that violence is acceptable."
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Burgess did, however, dismiss the possibility that there is one single mastermind behind Australia's antisemitism or that the incidents are connected.
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