Australia PM supports spy chief’s decision not to name former politician who ‘sold out’ country

SYDNEY - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on March 1 that he supported the spy chief’s decision not to name a former politician who had “sold out” to a foreign intelligence service.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio) director-general of security Mike Burgess said in an annual speech on the evening of Feb 28 that his agency had recently confronted a spy ring, from a country he did not name, which had recruited an unnamed former politician several years ago.

Current and former members of the opposition party on Feb 29 pushed the government to release the former politician’s name to avoid insinuations against those who had done nothing wrong.

Mr Burgess said in a statement on the evening of Feb 29 that Asio would not release the name, and needed to protect its sources.

“It is a historic matter that was appropriately dealt with at the time. The individual is no longer of security concern,” he said.

Mr Albanese told reporters on March 1 that Asio had not sought his approval for the speech, but he had confidence in Mr Burgess’ decision.

“He does what he believes is in the interests of national security and... has explained in a clear statement why he did it,” he said.

In the speech, Mr Burgess said the former politician had “sold out” the country and at one point suggested a plot to introduce a family member of the prime minister into the spies’ orbit, although the plan did not go ahead.

Following the revelations, Mr Alex Turnbull, son of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, said on Feb 29 in an interview with News.com.au that he had been approached about an infrastructure project by a group of suspected Chinese agents while his father was in office around 2017.

Australia introduced foreign interference laws in 2018. Mr Malcolm Turnbull, who introduced the laws, later said the “key purpose” of the measures was to expose China’s activities. REUTERS