The head of Australia's domestic intelligence agency, Mike Burgess, warns of foreign spying targeting defense employees and the AUKUS partnership.

Mike Burgess, ASIO's director, said foreign intelligence agents are taking a keen interest in the AUKUS partnership, targeting defense employees working on Australia's nuclear capabilities. Over the past three years, ASIO has disrupted 24 espionage operations, estimating their cost at $12.5 billion annually. Burgess highlighted the risks associated with social media postings by defense employees and noted that countries such as China, Russia and Iran are the main actors involved in these activities.