Children as young as 12 among dozens subject to federal police operations since 2020, parliamentary inquiry hears
Australia is facing a “tsunami” of youth crime as artificial intelligence accelerates the pace and scale of radicalisation, a parliamentary inquiry has heard.
The Australian federal police acting deputy commissioner Sandra Booth told the hearing on Wednesday that, while radicalisation had traditionally taken years or months, that process could now happen within days.
“This can be attributed to artificial intelligence, a growing grievance generation, young people searching for purpose and belonging, and the sophistication of these online networks,” she said.
“The AFP is deeply concerned that AI is accelerating and lowering the skills required to actively manipulate and radicalise victims online, and then cause serious harm.”
Booth warned that, without serious intervention, Australia’s mental health, education and judicial systems could be overwhelmed by people committing serious criminal offences.
This may have serious consequences for democracy and institutions.
“Australia is at the crossroads of a tsunami of youth crime as young, vulnerable and impressionable individuals are being radicalised and manipulated at rapid speed,” Booth said.
The country had experienced an increase in the number of threats being made against politicians.
In one example of radicalisation, an investigation found a 13-year-old boy allegedly possessed violent extremist material.
He was using the social media platform Discord and, during a raid at his home, police allege they found a notebook that contained plans for a school shooting.
“This was not in the US,” Booth told the hearing. “This was in Australia.”
The Asio deputy director general for intelligence service delivery, Claire McGuinness, said the spy agency was encountering more children, including 12-year-olds.
“This is in stark contrast to where we were, say, 20 years ago, where we would have seen a caseload predominantly of individuals within their early 20s, so quite a significant shift over the period,” she said.
The inquiry heard since 2020, 65 children, including as young as 12, had been subject to federal police operations.
Thirty-five of those had been charged with state or commonwealth terrorism-related offences.
The intelligence and security committee chair, Senator Raff Ciccone, said the parliament was trying to understand why people were being radicalised in a matter of days and weeks.
“I want to extend an invitation to people who have been personally affected by radicalisation,” he said.
“We recognise that these experiences can be deeply difficult and that coming forward may not be easy.”
The home affairs department counter‑terrorism coordinator, Brendan Dowling, said the nation was “probably identifying people too late” after they had already come to the attention of law enforcement.
“We’ve long faced an enduring threat from terrorism and violent extremism in Australia but the nature of that threat is changing,” he said.
“It is both more urgent and more challenging than ever before.”
A final report from the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security will be handed down in March next year.
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