Report foreign interference
Foreign interference is one of the main security concerns facing Australia.
Australia’s Counter Foreign Interference Strategy
Australia’s Counter Foreign Interference (CFI) Strategy is designed to protect Australia and its people from
foreign interference. We want to make sure that Australians have control over their own lives and country, including politics, business, and daily life.
Foreign interference can:
- limit Australia from making its own choices
- make people lose confidence in our political and government institutions
- interfere with the way Australian businesses work
- harm our national security and economic growth.
The CFI Strategy is Australia’s approach to securing our country from illegal interference from any country. We do not focus our approach on any specific nation.
The CFI Strategy sets out a comprehensive approach to countering foreign interference. It focuses on prevention through partnerships, awareness raising, deterrence measures and response when foreign interference does occur.
Australia’s coordinated approach
Australia’s multicultural, cohesive and open society and strong international partnerships are key strengths in countering foreign interference.
The Australian Government works with all levels of government, intelligence agencies and police forces to:
- combat foreign interference and other activities that threaten our safety and security
- raise the cost and reduce the benefit to foreign actors interfering in Australian society.
National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator
The Australian Government has taken significant steps to detect, disrupt and deter foreign interference activities. This includes appointing a National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator (NCFIC).
The NCFIC works across government and private sectors to strengthen arrangements to counter foreign interference. This includes making Australians:
- more resilient against the threat of foreign interference
- better informed to prevent it.
The Counter Foreign Interference Coordination Centre (CFICC) supports the NCFIC and coordinates Australia’s efforts by:
- overseeing implementation of the CFI Strategy
- coordinating support and advice to at-risk sectors
- enhancing engagement with multicultural communities.
The NCFIC and CFICC engage regularly with like-minded countries and regional partners to forge greater levels of global resilience to foreign interference.
More information
Different sectors and foreign interference
Report foreign interference
