Gaza Debate: ASIO Chief Clarifies Distorted Comments on Visa Vetting

‘Supporting a Palestinian homeland won’t bar entry to Australia, but violent extremist ideology or aiding terrorism will be a problem,’ said the ASIO chief.

Director-General of ASIO, Mike Burgess appears before a Senate inquiry at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on April 29, 2021. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

After his name and Gaza became focal points in Parliament discussions, mentioned daily by both the opposition and the ruling Labor party, Australia’s spy chief finally spoke up, stating that his comments on the vetting process for Palestinians fleeing Gaza had been misinterpreted.

“I’ve watched with interest over the last couple of weeks how people have chosen to distort what I said,” Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Director-General Mike Burgess told ABC News on Sept. 3.