AUSTRALIA’S ASIO: THE FARCE CONTINUES.

In recent days, the Director General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), David Irvine, did a rare public interview on the Australian ABC television network. Not only was it a rare interview, it was also a rather unconvincing one given ASIO’s track record of incompetency despite the domestic spy agency having legislative powers that would make any self-respecting banana republic blush.

Irvine said that Australia should remain vigilant against any terrorism attack and I have no argument with that notion. He also stated that ASIO is investigating a substantial number of possible threats against Australia and thus Australians. These sorts of statements having been uttered before without substantiated evidence having been provided would leave average Australians to wonder as to the actual credibility of the organisation which, in my view, is not very good at all by any measure.

Some examples of the inefficiencies include the fact that hundreds of asylum seekers are held in Australian detention centres for many months or even years pending security clearances. For a security service with wide-ranging legislative powers and resources the delays in asylum seeker processing is nothing less than disgusting. And one of the most galling process takes place when those denied entry into Australia on security ground get no explanation as to reasons and are left without a right to appeal the ASIO assessment. Thus that leaves one to conclude that ASIO is really an organisation that lacks credibility and public accountability.

The recent recently amended ASIO legislation gives ASIO powers that are well beyond public acceptance in terms of the organisation actually having to prove its case to justify is wide-ranging legislative powers. We hear of threat but no evidence is provided. We hear of evidence being gathered against Australian citizens with their basic right being abused in the process. And we hear of Australians being interviewed by ASIO operatives with those being interviewed not allowed to advise lawyers or even their relatives, which is basically designed to cover ASIOs arse when the organisation gets it wrong which is more than often.

ASIO has expanded its operational capacity and some of its operatives can now also be armed. Taking into account the fact that it takes many years to properly train an intelligence officer, one can only conclude that Australia now has a substantial number of  badly trained and armed ‘keystone cops’ running around the countryside looking for information.

We can only conclude that what is required in ASIO’s case is a much is a much greater level of public accountability as to provide the organisation with some level of credibility which, in my view, it does not have at the moment. Proper intelligence does not just come from what one is able to view off a computer screen. It involves, instinct, skills and just pure leg-work and lots of it.

To me, it’s time to bring this outfit into line with public expectations and requirements.

And on that note and like it or not.

My name is Henk Luf.

That’s The Way It Is.