Australia’s counter-terrorism strategy: strengthening our resilience

Australia’s Counter-Terrorism Strategy is a Council of Australian Governments document that outlines the current terrorist threat that Australia is facing, and what our governments are doing about it. It focusses on five core elements: challenging violent extremist ideologies, stopping people from becoming terrorists, shaping the global environment to counter terrorism, disrupting terrorist activity within Australia and having effective responses and recovery should an attack occur. Communique The Council of Australian Governments held its 40th meeting today in Sydney. It was a special meeting to reinforce our commitment to act against the threats to our community from violent extremists, family violence and the drug ice. Counter-terrorism arrangements COAG was briefed on the current threat environment by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, the Australian Federal Police and the Office of National Assessments, and on the role of the new Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator. Since September last year, there have been two attacks in Australia, we have disrupted a further six attacks and 23 people have been arrested and charged as a result of counter-terrorist operations (equating to almost a third of all terrorism-related arrests since 2001). The national terrorist threat level remains at High: a terrorist attack is likely. Today, COAG agreed Australia’s Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The Strategy sets out our coordinated national approach to counter-terrorism to keep all Australians as safe as possible from the threat of terrorism. First Ministers also agreed a revised National Terrorism Threat Advisory System which informs the public of the threat level and appropriate level of vigilance they need to show. The new system will come into force shortly. It will redefine the threat levels to provide more precision, and provide better information to the public on changes to the national terrorism threat level. COAG also examined the progress of all jurisdictions in implementing the recommendations of the reviews of Australia’s Counter-Terrorism Machinery and the Martin Place Siege. At our next meeting this year, we will discuss in further detail our strategies to counter violent extremism, including online. Governments and communities working together to promote prevention and early intervention with individuals who are radicalising, or at risk of radicalising to violent extremism, is critical to our continued safety