Jun 24, 2026 – 8.00pmAustralia’s top spy has mounted a robust defence of ASIO’s counter-terrorism record following the Bondi attack, declaring the agency “cannot stop every terrorist” and arguing calls to prioritise Islamic extremism overlook an increasingly complex threat landscape.“The unfortunate reality is the terror alert system will never include a level of ‘impossible’ or ‘unthinkable’,” ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said in his annual threat assessment on Wednesday evening, his first since the December 14 attack that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah festival.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
We cannot stop every terrorist: ASIO boss
Mike Burgess has launched a robust defence of ASIO’s counter-terrorism efforts following the Bondi attack, arguing calls to prioritise Islamic extremism are misguided.
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