Soviet spy ring mastermind John Walker dies in prison — RT USA

"The infamous man behind one of the United States’ most shocking spy rings has died in a federal North Carolina prison."



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ASIO chief unfussed by data-retention bypasses | ZDNet

"The ease of technical bypasses to avoid being captured by a mandatory data-retention regime is not a concern to ASIO director-general David Irvine."



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Federal police mistakenly publish metadata from criminal investigations | World news | theguardian.com

"Serious breach of security will embarrass AFP and government as they push for greater access to metadata and mandatory retention laws"



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Leaked paper reveals Australia's obsessive metadata secrecy | ZDNet

"The Australian government has been discussing a detailed data-retention wish list with internet service providers for more than four years — with citizens kept in the dark."



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Indonesia spy code reaches higher level | The Australian

"THE new agreement with Indonesia to be signed in Bali today by foreign ministers Julie Bishop and Marty Natalegawa will elevate intelligence co-operation between the two nations to a new level."



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Indonesia spy code reaches higher level | The Australian

THE new agreement with Indonesia to be signed in Bali today by foreign ministers Julie Bishop and Marty Natalegawa will elevate intelligence co-operation between the two nations to a new level."



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Australian Airports Equipped With New Counter-Terrorism Units

 "New counter-terrorism units have been working at Australia's two largest airports since last week and had already intercepted a person of interest, the prime minister said today."



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Airport terror patrols pick up suspect: PM | The Australian

 "A NEW airport-based counterterrorism squad has intercepted a suspected terrorist."



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15 Australian fighters killed in Iraq and Syria, spy chief says | SBS News

"Fifteen Australians including two suicide bombers are believed to have died fighting in Syria and Iraq, intelligence chief David Irvine says, while warning espionage and foreign intervention threats were increasing."



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Woomera Prohibited Area Rule 2014

"This rule prescribes four zones within the Woomera Prohibited Area and exclusion periods associated with Defence use of the zones."



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Don't attack Islamic leaders: ASIO boss

"Australian Security Intelligence Organisation boss David Irvine will on Wednesday hit back at suggestions that Muslim leaders are not doing enough to counter extremism in their communities, saying they should be thanked rather than criticised."



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Plain English reboot for government cyber security outreach | Government NewsGovernment News

"One of the federal government’s most influential cyber watchdogs has signalled a firm new push to get business leaders and agency heads on board with the Commonwealth’s wider information security and risk mitigation agenda by cutting down on tech vendor spin."



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Tony Abbott at risk of repeating Iraq war mistake: Andrew Wilkie | The Australian

"AUSTRALIA must not send troops to Iraq without the approval of parliament, says federal independent MP and Iraq war whistleblower Andrew Wilkie."



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Rising threat of terror posed by jihadists returning home | The Australian

"IN the same week that an Australian father posted an image of his seven-year-old son in Syria holding a severed head, a British rapper turned jihadist used Twitter to post a photograph of his own."



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Australia's overseas spy chief reappointed for another five years | World news | theguardian.com

 "The boss of Australia’s shadowy overseas spy agency has been given another five years in the job."



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ASIO boss says government is fighting terrorism, not Islam - HOTheadlines - Australian News Headlines

"Australia's top spy has launched an impassioned appeal to the nation's half a million Muslims not to mistake the Abbott government's counterterrorism push as "fighting Islam""



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T4 Technical Professional - Electronics ASIO Officer Grade 4 job ($68,568 - $77,071) in Canberra & ACT, ACT ( Government and Defence:Federal Government )

ASIO performs its role of providing advice to the Australian Government to protect Australia, its people and its interests, in a complex and ever changing environment. Success in this environment demands talented people that are highly capable, dedicated, adaptable and resilient."



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Security Vetting Support Officers ASIO Officer Grade 4 job ($68,568 - $77,071) in Canberra & ACT, ACT ( Government and Defence:Federal Government )

"ASIO performs its role of providing advice to the Australian Government to protect Australia, its people and its interests, in a complex and ever changing environment. "



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Tony Abbott uses intelligence to fix Jakarta ties and Labor’s time-bombs | The Australian

"SEVERAL weeks ago, the heads of three critical Australian intelligence agencies visited Indonesia: ASIO, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and the Australian Signals Directorate. Some time later the head of the Indonesian intelligence agency, BIN, visited Australia."



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Pact set to restore Canberra-Jakarta ties after damaging spy row | South China Morning Post

Australia and Indonesia have agreed a pact to put a damaging spy row behind them, paving the way for the resumption of full defence cooperation, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said yesterday."



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Anti-terror laws planned and in existence | The Australian

"THE government has legislation before parliament now that:

* Allows greater surveillance of computers.
* Grants immunity from prosecution to intelligence officers engaged in special operations.
* Exposes journalists to jail for publishing information about a terrorism investigation."



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Parliamentary Library Blog

 "On 29 November 2013, the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) provided to the Minister for Foreign Affairs the final report of her recent inquiry into the provision of weapons and the training in and use of weapons and self-defence techniques in ASIS. "



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State government cyber defences “patchy” says ASD chief - Security - News - iTnews.com.au

 "Australian Signals Directorate cyber security chief, Major General Stephen Day, has described the defences of the nation’s state governments against computer-based intrusions as patchy and variable."



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Telstra hands over browsing history in current warrantless metadata regime | ZDNet

"Telstra's revelation that it has previously handed over details of websites visited by its customers to government agencies without a warrant suggests mandatory data retention may still include URLs, according to the Parliamentary Library."



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Pact to heal Indonesian spy rift | The Australian

"THE Australian and Indonesian governments have concluded an agreement to patch up differences over allegations of Australian spying on Indonesia and could formally sign the text as early as this week."



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Australian intelligence watchdog wants clarification on national security plan | World news | theguardian.com

"Australia’s intelligence watchdog has called on the Abbott government to clarify various elements of its national security reforms – and also increase its budget so that it is in a position to carry out effective oversight in an environment where the surveillance footprint is being significantly expanded."



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Australia: Archbishop asks all who believe in God to pray and fast for Iraq - Independent Catholic News

"He echoes words spoken earlier this week by the director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), David Irvine, that “we are not fighting Islam, in Australia or anywhere else. We are fighting the terrorism that kills innocent people, both Muslim and non-Muslim”."



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Grattan on Friday: In Conversation with ASIO chief David Irvine

"David Irvine retires next month after five years as Director-General of Security, heading ASIO; before that he was head of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, which spies abroad. He’s spent more than a decade in what he describes as the gamekeeper and poacher business."



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iTWire - Like many other things, Australian data retention laws are outsourced

"Last week, the Australian government announced that it plans to introduce data retention laws to store what it defines as meta-data for up to two years, in order to be prepared to fight terrorism."



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Grandfather of Boy Pictured Holding Syrian Soldier's Head Begs Australian Government to Bring Him Home

"The uncle of the seven year-old boy photographed holding the severed head of a Syrian soldier has told the world's media they are overreacting and to "forget about it"."



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Photo of Australian Boy Holding Severed Head of Syrian Soldier Shocks the World | World | RIA Novosti

"Australian jihadist Khaled Sharrouf, who fled his country to become an ISIS fighter, uploaded a picture of a 7-year-old boy believed to be his son holding a severed head of a Syrian soldier to his Twitter page captioned with words “That’s my boy”, The Australian newspaper reports."



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Labor MP was KGB informant

"A federal Labor MP was a secret KGB informant, according to newly released intelligence archives."



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Wondering What Harmless ‘Metadata’ Like the NSA Compiles Can Actually Reveal? German Politician Shows You | TheBlaze.com

"The term “metadata” has been tossed around lately, especially after the leak about the NSA’s classified programs last month. It’s a collection of allegedly harmless — and nothing too specific — data from phone and Internet companies. But what if that’s not quite true?"



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Australian government unveils sweeping new “terror” powers - World Socialist Web Site

"The Australian government yesterday announced far-reaching new “anti-terrorism” measures, and, appealed for “national unity” to fight an alleged threat of terrorist atrocities."



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Federal government to keep your internet data

"Australians' phone and internet records will be held for two years as part of a federal government crackdown on homegrown terrorism."



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Govt to detail anti-terror law changes

"The federal government is set to announce details of a second tranche of changes to anti-terrorism laws."



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