Krissy Barrett has just become the first woman to lead the Australian Federal Police (AFP), and she’s wasting no time in issuing warnings to those who seek to stoke community fears.
Barrett commenced her five-year term as Commissioner this week, after Prime mininster Anthony Albanese announced her “historic” appointment in early August.
To mark her official start at the helm, Barrett has done a series of interviews outlining her priorities and declaring her leadership will focus on supporting social cohesion.
“Under my leadership, the AFP will have a laser focus on disrupting crimes that impact our sovereignty, our democracy, our social cohesion, our financial systems, our future prosperity,” she told SBS.
Barrett has promised to launch new national security squads that collaborate with state police and Five Eyes international intelligence partners to help track Nazi groups and extremists.
She told ABC that newly created hate crime offences may need to be taken further, and that a specialist National Security Investigations (NSI) teams will be created across Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra to help deal with the blurring lines of political violence, extremism, organised crime and foreign interference.
“Under my leadership, the AFP will be laser focused on protecting our sovereignty, our democracy, our social cohesion, our financial sector and our future prosperity,” she said.
She said part of their approach with these NSIs will be to examine the national strategy to find opportunities for new or amended legislation.
She added that learning Iran was behind at least two antisemitic attacks on Australia did not surprise her. “That’s our job, not to be surprised, to know what we’re dealing with in the environment,” she said.
Barrett also noted that the AFP has seen a doubling of threats against parliamentarians over the past three years and that the volume of threats remains concerning.
At the time of Barrett’s appointment, Albanese noted that the role of the AFP is “critical” to keeping the nation safe and that “there is no greater honour than wearing the uniform of those that serve and protect Australians.”
Barrett was formerly assistant commissioner of the AFP and has spent almost 25 years in law enforcement, starting at the age of 21 as an administrative assistant in Melbourne. She is now leading a workforce of more than 8000 people, posted across 30 countries.