Adelaide Chinese consulate at Joslin under ‘active consideration’ by Federal Government over its size

Australia’s top diplomat says concerns about Adelaide’s Chinese consulate are under “active consideration” by the Federal Government.

Concerns about the Chinese consulate in Adelaide are a matter of “active consideration” for the government, Australia’s top diplomat says.

Joslin residents have raised concerns about the compound in their neighbourhood.

Federal politicians including Liberal senator Alex Antic and independent senator Rex Patrick have also voiced concerns about the number of staff at the consulate, given South Australia’s major military shipbuilding projects and its large Uyghur population.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Frances Adamson said she fully understood the concerns, and added there was “active consideration” by the government of the matter, when asked about the consulate in Senate estimates on Thursday.

Responding to a question from Senator Antic about whether DFAT had “any particular concerns about the size of the embassy”, Ms Adamson said: “I fully understand what it is the concerns that you’re raising, and Senator Antic, the concerns that you’re reflecting on the part of the good people of Joslin and surrounding areas.”

Security cameras at the Chinese consulate in Joslin in Adelaide, which locals say is too big. Picture Roy VanDerVegt

She indicated there would only be a concern about the consulate if government agencies detected any evidence of espionage by its staff.

“From a DFAT perspective solely, we look at what role it is that the Consulate General is telling us, if you like, that it needs to perform in relation to the number of citizens it needs to service,” Ms Adamson said.

“And on the basis of that alone, yes, it looks on the large side, but it is not, on its own, a matter of concern.

“What would be of concern, and what we would seek to act on immediately, is if we, and when I say we, I don’t just mean DFAT, I mean all Australian government agencies, observed any behaviours on the part of those staff, which were contrary to their formal roles under the Vienna Convention, and contrary to, if you like, our interests.”

Ms Adamson added: “We hear what you say.”

She said the government was “alert to” both its diplomatic obligations under the Vienna Convention and to the points senators were making regarding its size and national security concerns.

The large Chinese consulate in the Adelaide suburb of Joslin. The Federal Government says it is “actively considering” its size and proximity to the shipyards. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“Obviously when it comes to defence interests, and a particular point has been made about those, they are matters for the Department of Defence,” she said.

“But I very much appreciate the way in which you’ve raised them.

“And this is a matter of … active consideration on our part.”

A DFAT official also responded China had a “significant consular responsibility within South Australia”, given there were about 50,000 Chinese passport holders in the region.

He added the number of Chinese consular staff in Australia was far fewer than the number of United States consular officials.

“And if you looked at the footprint in the Australian diplomatic and consular presence in China, and include the totality of all staff, we actually have a significantly larger number of staff in China … than China has in Australia,” he said.

Senator Antic told The Advertiser: “The Chinese Consulate General in suburban Joslin has cast a large shadow across the local community.”

“The reports of poor behaviour, property damage and even drones flying in the air are of course an annoyance to the local residents however it is the size and scale of the operation which concerns me,” the Senator said.

He said SA was “home to Australia’s largest population of Uighur people as well as some of the country’s largest Defence projects down the road at Osborne”.

The senator said he was “pleased to hear the Department’s Secretary Ms Adamson say that the Department was alert to the situation and would act should they become aware of any behaviours of Chinese consular staff which were contrary to their formal role”.