ASIO Chief Says Espionage Threat Shifted Focus Away From Terror Before Bondi

‘We were pivoting resources across because that’s where the leads took us and where we were required to put effort,’ said Director-General Mike Burgess.

ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess giving evidence to the Royal Commission on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion on May 25, 2026. Screenshot from the Royal Commission video stream

The main focus of the Australian Security Intelligence Service (ASIO) prior to the Bondi terrorist attack on Dec. 14, 2025, was on foreign espionage and foreign interference in the community and in politics, the organisation’s chief told the Royal Commission on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion.

Director-General Mike Burgess admitted that, because those issues were “not connected” to the threat of terrorism, security agencies and police had no indication an attack was imminent.