The head of Australia’s cyber-intelligence agency has justified surveillance of Australian citizens in a rare public speech.

Australian Signals Directorate boss Rachel Nobel told Australian National University students not all Aussies are the “good guys”.

Ms Nobel argued many citizens are under the influence of a foreign power and are prepared to harm us.

Security expert and Professor of Global Islamic Politics at Deakin University Greg Barton explained the push to expand some of the organisation’s powers.

“The Australian Signals Directorate is concerned about foreign intelligence matters, but they have to be operating in Australia,” he told Scott Emerson.

“Up until now they’ve not been allowed to do so because there’s been a division between domestic and international.

“The question is, what sort of oversight and transparency is there? Who spies on the spies?”

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