‘Foreign spies’ in media

AUSTRALIA’S top cops have warned a press freedom inquiry that a major ally threatened to stop sharing intelligence information after a leak to the media.

Officials from Home Affairs, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Federal Police yesterday fronted the inquiry in Canberra, sparked by AFP raids on the ABC and a News Corp reporter in June.

It comes just a day after media bosses warned the inquiry about the “creeping secrecy that shrouds Canberra” as they argued for more protections for whistleblowers and journalists.

ASIO deputy director-general of operations Heather Cook told the inquiry that foreign spies were posing as journalists and had also targeted or tried to recruit real journalists in Australia.

“Journalism can provide an ideal cover for foreign powers seeking to hide their actions from our intelligence and law enforcement agencies,” Ms Cook said.

She argued that any “broad” exemptions for media in laws criminalising leaking information would “invite exploitation by foreign intelligence actors” and “may increase the threat faced by Australian journalists”.

She also said Australia’s allies would reconsider their “willingness to share information” with ASIO if the media published leaks.

News Corp Australasia chairman Michael Miller yesterday told the inquiry urgent reforms to protect whistleblowers and journalists would not put them above the law.

AFP Deputy Commissioner of Operations Neil Gaughan refused to name the Australian ally that had threatened to withhold intelligence.

Outgoing AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin revealed the AFP could have launched up to 75 investigations into journalists in the past five years, but only conducted two raids as he defended the AFP’s “very judicious” use of its powers.