ASIO protects Australia and Australians from threats to their security. Our purpose, as defined in ASIO’s Corporate Plan 2019–20, is to protect Australia from violent, clandestine and deceptive efforts to harm its people and undermine its sovereignty. In 2019–20, ASIO achieved this purpose by focusing on three strategic objectives—Counter, Shape and Build— in four ‘key mission’ areas:

• counter-terrorism;
• counter–espionage and foreign interference;
• border integrity, including people smuggling; and
• protective security advice.