China's alleged bids to spy on Australia and plant a Beijing-backed MP in Parliament have prompted calls for tighter laws to combat foreign interference, such as security screening for incoming MPs.
In recent weeks, former prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd have called for greater vigilance to prevent meddling by China in domestic affairs, though they also warned against excessive paranoia or questioning the loyalty of the Chinese-Australian community.
Australia already has tough measures to combat foreign interference, including bans on foreign political donations and a compulsory registry of all lobbyists representing foreign entities.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison this week announced an A$88 million (S$82 million) task force to detect and disrupt nefarious foreign elements. It will be led by the domestic spy agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).
Mr Morrison said he is regularly asked by foreign counterparts about Australia's efforts to combat interference. "One of the key issues other leaders raise with me is how Australia has been able to move so successfully in both identifying, calling out and taking action to counter foreign interference," he said.
But the opposition Labor, in calling for tougher measures, has proposed a new law to force political parties to disclose donations within seven days. Currently, they are not disclosed for months.
Former foreign minister Julie Bishop has said that foreign interference could erode the public's faith in the integrity of elections and democratic processes. She voiced support for more timely disclosure of donations and for potentially subjecting MPs to security screening.
"I always found it extraordinary that I, as foreign minister, had no need for security clearance," she told the Centre for Independent Studies. "My staff had to go through the most rigorous security clearances… but no politician is ever subjected to that."
In recent months, claims of alleged interference have implicated both the ruling Liberal-National Coalition and the Labor Party.
The most recent involve Melbourne businessman Nick Zhao, 31, who told ASIO he was offered A$1 million to run as a Liberal MP by a Chinese national with alleged links to the Communist Party. Mr Zhao was found dead in a hotel room in March, and his death is being investigated. The Australian newspaper, citing unnamed sources, said Victorian police do not regard the death as suspicious.
Separately, a man claiming to be a defecting Chinese spy, Mr Wang Liqiang, gave an interview to The Age claiming to have been involved in operations to interfere with elections in Taiwan and kidnap critics of the Communist Party in Hong Kong. Mr Wang, 27, who is seeking asylum in Australia, claimed to have information on efforts by Chinese intelligence to fund and conduct interference operations in Australian politics. ASIO is investigating his claims.
Some, including Ms Bishop, have noted it is unusual for a defecting spy to give media interviews.
The Australian authorities are investigating his authenticity and have been urged to publicly reveal their findings. Either way, the authorities have repeatedly made it clear that they regard foreign interference as a serious and growing threat.
Office of National Intelligence director-general Nick Warner told a parliamentary hearing last week that the threat was at unprecedentedly high levels.
