Australia’s Labor government has announced $74 million in funding for a new national centre to fight online violent extremism and terrorism by focusing on infiltrating chat groups.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Wednesday the Counter Terrorism Online Centre will be jointly led by intelligence agency ASIO and the Australian Federal Police to “target online terrorists who threaten violence and manipulate vulnerable young people”.
He said the centre would “detect and disrupt the evolving threat of online violent extremism and terrorism”, warned radicalisation and recruitment was occurring on gaming platforms and “echo chamber” private chat groups, and said the $74 million would be delivered over two years.
“This continued investment is required to protect Australia from individuals and groups who seek to erode Australia’s social fabric by advocating hatred, fear and violence,” Home Affairs said.
The Albanese Government has announced $74 million to establish a “Counter Terrorism Online Centre,” led by ASIO and the AFP to target “young men being radicalised online,” including “racist and nationalist violent extremists” and individuals using social media to influence… pic.twitter.com/4YYMIxWlbE
— Anthony Khallouf (@ausvstheagenda) May 6, 2026
ASIO boss Mike Burgess said the centre would improve his agency’s ability to identify “Sunni violent extremists, nationalist and racist violent extremists, anarchist and revolutionary violent extremists, and any other entities that advocate politically motivated violence”.
“In a security environment where radicalisation increasingly occurs online, and extremists increasingly engage with each other in encrypted chat groups, ASIO must be online, too,” Mr Burgess said.
“I continue to be extremely concerned by the number of young people, particularly young men, who are being radicalised online and mobilising to violence relatively quickly, with little to no warning.”
He went on to cite an example of an ASIO agent “posing as a violent extremist” in an online chat group, leading to the arrest of a man in Western Australia for allegedly planning a lone wolf terrorist attack.
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett said “terrorists and hatemongers are manipulating vulnerable and susceptible individuals at rapid speed”, and “shielding kids from manipulation and harm is one of my key priorities”.
“The new capability will also provide an early warning system for the nation’s Joint Counter Terrorism Teams about emerging hate groups and individuals who use social media, gaming platforms, online forums and our dark web to incite or commit violence,” she said.
Mr Burgess and Ms Barrett have both faced criticism for their failure to stop the Bondi Islamic terrorist attack, with many Australians questioning whether their agencies were too focused on “hate speech”, “right-wing extremism” and social media posts in the lead-up to the massacre.
Mr Burke said 31 people have been charged under the government’s “violent extremist material” laws since they came into effect in January 2024, and that 19 of those were aged 17 or younger.
“More young Australians are being radicalised online, and it happens fast,” Mr Burke said.
“We already have centres dedicated to protecting children and combatting cyber crime; establishing a centre for online violence extremism and terrorism is the next logical step in a fast-moving threat environment.
“The capability we’ve always had to monitor extremists in the meeting room, now extends to the chat room. A bolstered online threat capability will give AFP and ASIO the resources they need to target terrorists and violent extremists online”.
Header image: Mr Barrett, Mr Burgess and Mr Burke announcing the new centre (ASIO).
