Australian Federal Police claim internet 'petri dish' for far right extremism

During senate estimates on Monday, the Australian Federal Police has flagged the internet has created a "petri dish" of far right extremism in Australia.

Deputy Chair of the AFP, Ian McCartney said far right extremism is a growing domestic terrorism risk, with online safety laws creating loopholes for content to be spread across the internet.

Mr McCartney said ideology spreading misinformation and distrust in governments was being influenced by foreign agents.

He also noted manifestos from terrorists such as the Christchurch attacker were being allowed to be spread online and glorified through social media channels like Telegram.

On a national security level, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation said lockdowns had driven more people to the internet and as a result they had been exposed to mis- and disinformation they might disregarded before.

Domestic spy agency head Mike Burgess said there had been a rapid rise of right-wing extremism, which had begun dominating their domestic onshore counter-terrorism caseload.

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It was now approaching 50 per cent of the agency's time in that area, Mr Burgess noted.

"People being online have potentially been subject to information that has helped put them up a path of radicalisation," he said.

"Obviously with lockdowns, they don't benefit from the social interactions that tend to normalise what people get through their online interactions.

"So there's no doubt COVID has been a factor."

Financial crimes watchdog, AUSTRAC told the same estimates hearing that extremists groups were flouting weaknesses in the country's banking system.

AUSTRAC chief executive Nicole Rose said far-right extremist groups are using platforms such as Telegram and cryptocurrency exchange platforms to finance their activity.

Ms Rose noted AUSTRAC's oversight only occurs on financing activity within Australia's banking system, telling the slew of Senators that it would have information on terrorist financing overseas.

"Much of this doesn't go through the banking system," Ms Rose said.

AUSTRAC did note groups flagged by DFAT as terrorist or criminal organisations would have greater scrutiny about their potential financing activity in Australia.

The department also flagged Australia's property market was also being used by criminal groups to launder money into the country.

Senators on Monday also asked the ASIO chief, Mr Burgess to further define which groups would be considered under the umbrella term referred to as issue-motivated extremists.

ASIO made the decision to label right-wing extremist groups under the new term to help group actors that didn't accurately fit into the political spectrum but shared commonalities.

The change has previously been criticised by the opposition and the Greens, who suggested it was a strategy to downplay the threat of far-right groups.

Liberal senator Jim Molan asked Mr Burgess to help him understand who would, and wouldn't, be included under the umbrella.

He responded it was "a whole range of issues or ideologies that motivate people to violence", including white supremacy, nationalists and the involuntary celibacy, or "incel", movement.

"It's just a wide soup of weird things," Mr Burgess said.

"It's a broad church and we want to capture everything and there [are] some labels some people choose to put on it that actually are unhelpful.

"It may well be political, but it's not the only thing in play."

He added animal and climate activist groups were not a target unless they had expressed violent intentions against others.

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