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‘They are aware’: new AFP boss’s warning to Australia’s opponents
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‘They are aware’: new AFP boss’s warning to Australia’s opponents

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Newly sworn-in Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Krissy Barrett, has started her term with a warning to individuals, groups or state actors who attempt to spread fear within the community: “We will take action.”
In her first days as commissioner, Barrett changed the agency’s mission to include “defending” and protecting Australia from domestic and global security threats.
“States use criminal proxies to destabilize opponents,” she said.

“Simply put, the bulk of our work now and in the future will be to deter, disrupt, and respond to … active threats, both overt and covert. That means we defend ourselves.”

Krissy Barrett will say goodbye to former AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw at a ceremony in Canberra on Friday. Source: MONKEY / Mick tsiks

Barrett has a clear warning against agents of chaos seeking to disrupt Australian democracy.

“For individuals and groups who want to tear our social fabric by creating hatred or fear within the community… they are on notice. We will take action.”

“Under my leadership, the AFP will have a laser focus on disrupting crimes that impact our sovereignty, our democracy, our social cohesion, our financial systems and our future prosperity.”

‘Overlap’ between states and organized crime

Barrett’s first assignment as AFP commissioner was to set up national security investigative teams across the country with access to Five Eyes intelligence.
Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand are part of the Five Eyes alliance – which shares spy, human, cyber and defense intelligence.
‘Have access [to that intelligence] is a tremendous asset to our arsenal,” said Barrett.
“There are scenarios where the AFP may not have the ability to take a particular action, but our partners abroad do.”
According to Barrett, this is crucial in the fight against state-sponsored disruption.
“We’ve seen a shift in the environment,” Barrett said.
“Where you traditionally see organized crime engaging in organized crime, you see state actors using more traditional methods to influence sovereignty in our country. We now see an overlap.”

‘We see division of labor and payment [for attacks] be handed over to organized crime networks to use the systems and networks they have already established in this country.”

Barrett has vowed to use the AFP’s ‘international network’ to target a known organized crime figure linked to illicit tobacco, who is a ‘person of interest’ in the Firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue.
“He is a national security threat to our country,” she told AFP staff in a statement on Tuesday.
“That means the AFP is targeting him – and his associated criminals and illicit tobacco companies.”

Iran’s ambassador to Australia was expelled in August and on Tuesday the government announced it would amend terrorism laws to allow the inclusion of foreign state entities as “state sponsors of terrorism” in direct response to the IRGC’s attacks.

Wars in Gaza and Ukraine are causing an increase in violence

In February, during its annual threat assessmentASIO boss Mike Burgess linked a resurgence in anti-Semitism to Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza.

Burgess said the “normalization of violent protest and intimidating behaviour” as a result of the two-year war in Gaza had lowered the threshold for “provocative and potentially violent acts” against Jewish Australians.

Anthony Albanese and Krissy Barrett stand side by side on podiums in front of a series of open doors, with Australian, Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal flags behind them, as well as two other people.

Krissy Barrett and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra in August. Source: MONKEY / Mick tsiks

Barrett said such events have led to an increase in politically motivated violence – with threats against politicians doubling.

“We see groups and individuals who want to wreak havoc on our social cohesion and foster hatred… because of race or religion,” she said.
“They want to create fear within communities.”

Australia’s anti-Semitism and Islamophobia envoys have reported a fivefold increase in discrimination and violence against Jewish and Muslim communities respectively since the 2023 attack on Israel.

“Events abroad, in the Middle East, in Russia, Ukraine and even in the US, are resonating here in Australia,” Barrett said.

“And I think we all literally saw that happening on the streets.”

‘Confident’ AFP equipped to tackle youth radicalisation

“That will help… the internet is a huge space for us to control,” Barrett said.
In recent times, the AFP’s workload has shifted from primarily religiously motivated extremism to politically motivated extremism.
But the track record in deradicalizing young people is far from perfect.
Barrett said she “has confidence” in the integrity of AFP officials in dealing with vulnerable youth.
“Our investigators weigh the risks – the serious risks – every day on behalf of this country,” she said.
“The risks are real. We have seen young people who have the intention and the capacity to undertake acts of violent extremism and terrorism.”
She said parents must continue to have confidence in the AFP.
“The powerful message is: understand what your child is doing. If there are any changes in behavior or you have any concerns, please contact us,” she said.

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