Liberal senator Alex Antic wants to know if ASIO are concerned about “violent transgender activism”.

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The South Australian senator put the question to ASIO boss Mike Burgess during a Senate Estimates hearing on Tuesday.

“In recent months we’ve seen a clear and worrying rise in violent transgender activism in this country.” Senator Antic claimed.

“The notable of which has been the assault of an elderly woman at the pro-female ‘Let Women Speak’ rally in March this year. The assault of Kellie-Jay Keen herself in Auckland of April this year, and then also the shooting in Nashville, the trans shooter in March of this year at a school.

“Is ASIO monitoring violent trans activism in this country?” Senator Antic asked.

Burgess said the agency would monitor any ideology that promoted acts of politically motivated violence or communal violence.

“We’re ideology agnostic. We seek to understand people’s ideology.” Burgess said, highlighting security services would take action against any group that was posing a threat.

‘Are we seeing a noticeable rise in that sort of radical transgenders” Antic asked.

“Not from my perspective.” Burgess said.

The questions probing if there was concern about radical and violent transgender people followed Burgess giving an overview on concerns about neo-Nazi groups being more visible in Australian society.

Greens senator David Shoebridge asked if ASIO had seen evidence that neo-Nazi groups were attempting to recruit via anti-transgender protests. Burgess said he was not aware of a direct link, but it was a practice used by groups to build their membership and promote their own cause.

OIP Staff

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