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The nation's top spy chief agrees that foreign powers are active at a broader level across Australia's online space.

ASIO chief Mike Burgess identified China as the nation's top hacking threat, with its understanding of the domestic telecommunications network now so sophisticated, it could "turn them off, should they need to".

"They are working actively to understand our systems," ASIO chief Mike Burgess told the Mitchell Unlimited podcast.

"I believe in some cases they could do it today," he said.

Mr Burgess urged calm among Australians, as it was unlikely our communications systems would be turned off unless we were at war.

But he warned people should not have highly sensitive conversations in their cars or near their phones, given foreign governments' ability to listen in.

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