Chinese ‘a threat to our nation’

SCOTT Morrison insists ASIO is working to stamp out foreign interference after the former head of the spy agency warned China was using “insidious” operations to take over Australia’s political system.

Retired ASIO chief Duncan Lewis has warned Chinese authorities are trying to “place themselves in a position of advantage” in political, social, business and media circles.

Mr Lewis has told the political journal Quarterly Essay in an interview to be published next week that covert foreign intrusion into the heart of Australian politics is “something we need to be very, very careful about”.

“Espionage and foreign interference is insidious. Its effects might not present for decades and by that time it’s too late,” he said.

“You wake up one day and find decisions made in our country that are not in the interests of our country.”

The prime minister said Australia had robust and wellresourced systems in place to guard against foreign interference.

“Our position, our laws, our resources, our agencies have never been better tasked,” Mr Morrison told Melbourne radio 3AW yesterday.

“We have the systems in place, and we have the legal systems in place, to ensure that Australia’s interests are always protected.”

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who has been a vocal critic of China, backed his agencies to deal with the threat.

“The government’s put a lot of resource into ASIO, into the Australian Federal Police, and our other agencies, to counter the very real threat of foreign interference,” he said.

“There’s been a big piece of work, obviously, in recent years, which continues to this day in relation to counter-terrorism as well, and they have

ESPIONAGE AND FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IS INSIDIOUS. ITS EFFECTS MIGHT NOT PRESENT FOR DECADES AND BY THAT TIME IT’S TOO LATE

RETIRED ASIO CHIEF DUNCAN LEWIS

been sort of the twin tracks of work of our agencies, and ASIO in particular, for a long period of time.”

Mr Lewis’ comments come after former prime minister Tony Abbott accused China of bullying its neighbours.

Mr Abbott plans to revisit the topic in a speech to the Lowy Institute next week.

Liberal politicians Andrew Hastie and James Paterson have also been barred from entering China because of their comments about the country.

Mr Lewis retired in September after five years as the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.