Australia's domestic spy agency has launched an aggressive recruitment policy aimed at university graduates to bolster its ranks by nearly 20 per cent on the back of government funding.
 

The agency has also called on new surveillance powers and recommended nine Australian passports be cancelled to prevent nationals travelling to join violent extremist groups.
 

ASIO has also maintained an interest in Reclaim Australian rallies and will continue to monitor events next year.
 

The spy agency's latest annual report reveals more than $870,000 was spent on recruitment last year compared with $599,000 a year earlier. Close to 5000 applications were also submitted from budding spies.
 

ASIO director Duncan Lewis said the delivery of additional funding worth $196.8 million over four years would see an additional 326 staff added to a total of 1715 by 2020.  
 

"As university graduates are a target audience for intelligence officer and junior technical and ICT roles, ASIO attended 20 university career fairs around the country and conducted information sessions for targeted disciplines at a number of universities," he said.
 

"This direct engagement with university students promoted ASIO and employment opportunities."
 

The report reveals the agency has already used a swath of new powers granted in 2014, including the extension of sunset clauses and new offences of entering a declared area without a legitimate purpose.  
 

"ASIO has issued warrants in respect of all new warrant powers, including the amended computer access and surveillance device warrants and the new identified person warrants," Mr Lewis said.
 

The identified person warrant allows the agency to use multiple powers against an identified person under one warrant.
 

The agency will continue to monitor Reclaim Australia rallies across the nation due to their potential for violence.
 

"While anti-Islam numbers increased, there was a concurrent increase in counter-protests on platforms of social inclusion, anti-racism and anti-fascism," Mr Lewis said.
 

"Most protests were peaceful; however, a range of assessment products highlighted escalating tensions between anti-Islam protesters and counter-protesters at nationwide Reclaim Australia rallies, tensions that culminated in clashes in Melbourne in April 2015."
 

A Reclaim Australia march will be held in Canberra on November 22, with counter-rallies already organised on social media.
 

The agency overhauled its intelligence development program in late 2014 to deliver "job ready" outcomes to graduates through intensive classroom and practical exercises and job placements.

A panel of recruitment agencies was also established during 2014-15 to "further broaden capability and capacity in recruitment".
 

The number of face-to-face training sessions more than doubled in the past financial year, with all staff completing some of 60 training courses including safety and security.
 

The 1715 staff have completed their move into the Ben Chifley building, which was completed two years late and $200 million over budget and was reportedly infiltrated by Chinese spies, although ASIO dismisses the hacking claims.
 

The spy agency is searching for managers to oversee spooks charged with gathering information from IT sources under the federal government's new metadata laws. 
 

This story was found at: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/asio-to-bolster-ranks-with-university-graduates-amid-new-sweeping-powers-20151029-gkltc7.html