Terror threat: airport security upped
The immigration minister will announce tougher airport security measures as the domestic spy agency considers raising Australia’s terrorist threat level.
ASIO Director-General David Irvine has revealed he is considering raising the terror alert level from medium to high, meaning an attack on Australian soil is considered “likely”.
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison, a member of the Federal Government’s powerful national security committee of cabinet, says he is not surprised by Irvine’s comments.
Australia’s threat level has been at medium since 2003.
Morrison will announce new counter-terrorism measures, including a tougher Advance Passenger Processing (APP) system, during an address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.
The multi-million APP expansion means customs officers will be alerted earlier to potential foreign fighters who are trying to leave Australia.
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“This is all about tightening up, all about extending our reach,” Morrison told ABC radio on Wednesday.
The announcement comes on top of recently announced airport counter-terrorism units and new departure E-gates.
Morrison warns the new measures could lead to occasional plane delays but he is unapologetic.
“Security is the top priority,” he said.
Irvine told the ABC on Tuesday that he was seriously considering lifting the terror threat level from medium because of the number of people returning from fighting in Iraq and Syria.
Security agencies were aware of more than 20 people in Australia who had fought in the Middle East and posed a threat to national security, he said.
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The threat to Australia was now “a very elevated level of medium”.
“I’m certainly contemplating very seriously the notion of lifting it higher because of the numbers of people that we are having to be concerned about here in Australia,” he said.
The “medium” threat rating means a terrorist attack could occur in Australia and the “high” level is used when government and agencies believe an attack is likely.
Australia’s four-level alert system goes to extreme, when an attack is imminent or has occurred.
In announcing plans to strengthen anti-terrorism laws in August, Prime Minister Tony Abbott stressed the terrorist threat to Australia had not changed.
Australia has been at the “medium” alert level since the four-tier system was introduced in 2003.
Irvine retires at the end of this week.
He hands Australia’s top security job to Duncan Lewis, a diplomat, former government national security adviser, defence department secretary and special forces soldier.
