ASIO director-general Mike Burgess says many violent extremists are focusing on individual issues rather than broad ideologies such as white supremacy,citing anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne as an example.
The alert comes as the federal government readies to pass laws to better protect critical infrastructure.
The officer overseeing counter-terrorism operations in NSW also warned the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan could lead to a greater risk of violent extremism.
More than 25 of Australia’s senior public officials were paid more than $1 million last year,with many earning much more than their international counterparts.
Other parts of the government said a listing would affect their work in Lebanon,where Hezbollah wields power.
If intelligence agencies are to continue to stop foreign agents committing nefarious acts,they will need the trust and support of the diaspora communities.
The current head of ASIO,Mike Burgess,said covert agents of foreign powers made up just a tiny minority of diaspora communities.
A senior spy says the main risk posed by Huawei’s involvement in Australia’s 5G system was not Chinese spying but that Beijing could order the company to disconnect the network altogether.
Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney said certain aspects of current criminal laws were out of step with community expectations and described the internet as a “force multiplier of hate”.
A former policy adviser to the Australian government says academic projects that are critical of the government are less likely to be funded.
ASIO has recommended a number of extreme right-wing groups be declared terrorist organisations but they haven’t made the cut because Australia’s legal definition is narrower than in some other countries.