1. The current terrorism threat to Australia and Australian interests is unprecedented in our history. The national terrorism threat level in Australia was raised in September 2014 and remains PROBABLE - credible intelligence, assessed by our security agencies indicates that individuals or groups continue to possess the intent and capability to conduct a terrorist attack in Australia. Terrorism is an enduring challenge for Australia; there is little prospect of significant improvement in the near future.

2. State, Territory and Commonwealth agencies work together to combat this threat with a focus on prevention as the first line of defence against terrorism. Their actions are informed by thorough analysis and assessment of intelligence on violent extremism here and abroad.

3. In response to the heightened threat, in July 2015 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) released Australia’s Counter-Terrorism Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy sets out the framework for Australia’s counter-terrorism arrangements and situates Australia’s current terrorism threat within the global context. It identifies five interconnected elements necessary to meet the enduring challenge:

• 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.

4. Agencies in State, Territory and Commonwealth governments – as well as the private sector and communities – are working both individually and collectively in support of these elements, with the over-arching objectives of protecting lives, upholding our values, and bringing terrorists to justice.

5. Terrorism poses a direct and ongoing threat to the safety and wellbeing of Australians both in Australia and abroad.

The threat associated with violent extremist ideologies is of paramount concern. The ideological justifications for attacks are not limited to Islamist extremist ideologies but also include terrorism based on other ideological, political or religious beliefs – such as right or left wing extremists.

6. The terrorist threat can manifest across jurisdictional boundaries and it requires a coordinated, considered and comprehensive national response. Despite our best efforts there can be no guarantees that a terrorist attack will not occur.

7. International terrorist groups have proven adept at using their extremist ideology to motivate sympathisers and supporters to conduct terrorist attacks globally. Australians and Australian interests abroad can and have been impacted by terrorist attacks. Terrorist attacks linked to the conflicts in the Middle East have been seen in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Of concern to Australia’s security interests and our region are the growing links between extremists in the Middle East and extremist groups in South East Asia.

8. Notwithstanding the significant time and effort put into legislation, resource allocation and capability development, Australian governments cannot provide the whole solution to the terrorist threat. The private sector and the community have critical roles to play in Australia’s counter-terrorism efforts.

9. Up to date threat information and details regarding Australia’s response to the terrorist threat can be found on the Australian National Security website at www.nationalsecurity.gov.au

10. Australia’s National Counter-Terrorism Plan (the Plan) outlines the arrangements, governance and operational responsibilities of Australian governments and agencies engaged in countering terrorism. The plan sets the framework for preventative activities, the response to, investigation of, and recovery from, terrorist acts and the preparations to support these activities.

11. It is underpinned by the prepare, prevent, respond and recover (PPRR) model. The PPRR model recognises that activities will be interconnected and will often occur concurrently.

12. The Plan sits below and complements Australia’s Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which provides an overarching strategic framework for Australia’s counter-terrorism arrangements.

13. The Plan is supported by detailed documentation, including the National Counter-Terrorism Handbook (the Handbook).

The Handbook provides specific operational guidance for government agencies and accordingly is not publicly available.

14. The Plan supports and is guided by the principles outlined in the Strategy:

i. Protecting lives is the absolute priority;
ii. Governments and the community must face the challenge of terrorism together; and
iii. Terrorist acts are crimes to be dealt with through the criminal justice system.

15. The Plan recognises that counter-terrorism is a shared responsibility of all sectors of society, including all levels of government, the private sector and the community. The Plan adopts the following approaches:

i. Australian governments and agencies are committed to an intelligence-led approach to assessment and treatment of the terrorist threat;
ii. Jurisdictions will adopt a cooperative national approach to counter-terrorism with a focus on interoperability; and
iii. In the interest of public safety, early disruption of planned attacks will often be prioritised over waiting to gather further evidence for a successful prosecution.