Terror threat system not built for today’s dangers

Australia’s terrorism threat level system was never designed for the dangers now facing Jewish Australians and the wider community, the head of ASIO has warned.

Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation has called  for an overhaul as he described a security environment that was both worsening and increasingly varied.

He was delivering his annual threat assessment in Canberra on Wednesday night, six months after the Bondi attack that targeted Jewish Australians and became the nation’s worst act of terrorism.

The audience stood for a minute’s silence for the victims before he spoke.

Guests were also shown a video montage of fraying social cohesion, including footage of protests, neo-Nazi activity and the aftermath of the Bondi attack.