The greatest terrorism threat to Australia remains a 'lone wolf'.
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As extremism fuelled by COVID-19 conspiracy theories fades along with pandemic restrictions, the danger from a sole operative remains real according to Australia's security agency.
Right-wing extremism used to account for about 50 per cent of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation's caseload, but dropped to 30 per cent since lockdowns and mandates eased.
ASIO head Mike Burgess said most of the 30 per cent is "nationalist and racist, violent extremism".
"Some of that feeling does live on, but the number of cases we've been looking at, they've reduced significantly," he told a parliamentary hearing on Monday.
Extremist groups used mandates and COVID conspiracy theories to try and recruit members, but only had limited success, Mr Burgess said.
"Would I say it was a bumper campaign for them? Probably not.
"But there is still some volatility in that mix, with people who have a range of grievances."
Religiously motivated extremists make up the majority of the department's workload, with Sunni Islam the "principle concern in the terrorism space".
The agency was also questioned on why more right wing nationalist groups weren't identified as terrorist organisations in Australia despite being listed in New Zealand, Canada and France.
Mr Burgess said there is a high bar to ban an organisation.
'That group must be a number of things, including advocating and conducting acts of terrorism," he said.
Mr Burgess said while conspiracy theorists and extremists were preparing for the downfall of society, "they're doing very little to bring that on".
"So if you have a group that is of any ideology, including nationalist and racist foreign extremism, if they're not advocating acts of terrorism as defined under law, then they cannot be listed," he said.
"(But) we don't need someone listed to investigate."
Australian Associated Press
