Australia’s Current National Threat Level Increased to PROBABLE

Update:

As of Monday the 5th August 2024, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) have increased Australia’s National Threat Level from possible, to PROBABLE. In a recently published advisory statement by the Australian Government, “there is a greater than fifty per cent chance of an onshore attack or attack planning in the next twelve months.” So, what does this mean and how can organisations better protect themselves from possible attacks?

As stated by ASIO and National Security “The most likely location for a terrorist attack in Australia is a crowded place, in a major city. Crowded places include shopping centres, transport hubs or other easily accessible locations. How perpetrators identify targets to attack can be driven by the ideology, or grievance of the attacker, and may include symbolic locations such as government buildings, places of worship or specific events.”

Potential terrorism attacks in Australia are expected to be low-cost and using readily available weapons such as knives, vehicles, or firearms, joined with simple tactics to have maximum impact. The Government expect if these attacks were to occur, they would be carried out by individuals or small groups that have been “driven to act from socio-political issues, intersecting with personal grievances.”

How to Mitigate

As terrorist acts set out to cause maximum impact, crowded places and symbolic sites are the choice of location for a potential attack. Places where hundreds, if not thousands are congregated at any given time, that represents the agenda of radicalists and is deemed symbolic are now at an increased threat risk since the increasing of our National Threat Level.

Things that can be done to mitigate against potential attacks from occurring include:

• Engage with a security consultant and perform a risk assessment.
• Review your current security posture to see if upgrades are required.
• Understand your threat landscape.
• Reduce the reliance of human intervention and incorporate physical security solutions such as security doors.
• Review emergency evacuation plans to ensure there is a clear exit strategy if faced with a hostile person.
• Communicate your security procedures with all staff and ensure precautions are taken in even the smallest of tasks.
• Monitor regular activity and report anything suspicious.
• Review and upgrade your access control systems to avoid hostile individuals from gaining entry.
• Incorporate a range of protection methods such as hostile vehicle mitigation, high security entry systems, asset protection and entrance controls.

In Summary

With the heightened tensions over high profile global events that are currently occurring is what has lead to the increase in threat level issued by ASIO. In order for businesses and governments to best protect our nation’s people and assets, revisions of security postures is vital. Ensuring crowded places have adequate security measures in place could be the deterring factor to mitigating an attack from occurring.

Gunnebo have worked with various governments, high-risk sites, critical infrastructures, consultants and more, both nationally and globally to deliver uncompromised security designed to provide the highest standard of protection. If you require assistance with upgrading your security posture, or just need help understanding what you may need to best protect a site, please contact our team today.

*Cover image sourced from ABC News Australia*