Samantha Maiden: ASIO chief Duncan Lewis on mission impossible

IT was a phone call from ASIO chief Duncan Lewis to rookie Liberal MP and SAS hero ­Andrew Hastie that the MP calls a “a bolt from the blue’’, Samantha Maiden writes.

Briggs booted for being fool

IT was a phone call from ASIO chief Duncan Lewis to rookie Liberal MP and SAS hero ­Andrew Hastie that the MP calls a “a bolt from the blue’’.

And it is even more ­intriguing, when you know that the day before the ASIO chief called, December 9, Malcolm Turnbull had sat down with Hastie at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices in Perth and discussed, among other things, his views on Islam.

That same day, The Sunday Telegraph has learned the Prime Minister personally texted the ASIO chief Hastie’s mobile phone number.

This is a version of events at odds with Mr Turnbull’s public remarks. On Friday, he told ­reporters in Japan: “Look, I haven’t given Duncan Lewis any; I haven’t asked him to do, to give any advice to anybody in particular.’’

Hastie is one of a group of MPs, including Tony Abbott, calling for an open debate about links between Islamic theological teachings and terrorism, a theory that Turnbull and the ASIO chief do not share. Hastie does not remember the Prime Minister telling him on December 9 that the ASIO chief might call.

“I certainly didn’t expect to hear from the head of the ASIO,’’ Hastie says.

“I was called out of the blue. When the head of ASIO calls you pick up.’’

Hastie wants to maintain the “integrity of the conversation’’.

But other MPs insist that the former SAS commander was asked by the ASIO chief, who is a family friend, to pass on ASIO’s message to other MPs.

ASIO director general Duncan Lewis.

This is where it all went horribly wrong. The ASIO chief’s calls to Dan Tehan, the chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence Committee were entirely routine and Tehan has defended the contact as a normal part of Lewis’ job.

But Liberal MPs who spoke to Hastie after his ASIO chat were appalled at the idea they were being told what to say on Islam and using Hastie as the messenger. Hastie remains horrified that his private conversation with the ASIO chief was leaked by his colleagues.

Subsequently, a war of words has erupted that the ASIO chief’s phone call to Hastie could curb MPs’ free speech. If that was the intent it was a dismal failure.

The argument it has had a chilling effect is also clearly unsustainable when Lewis’ critics have been on the front page of The Australian newspaper for two days running.

“At no point did I feel that my ability to speak my mind was affected,’’ Hastie says.

“Look to be honest, I am my own man. I stand by everything I’ve said about Islam. I know my views don’t accord with some of Malcolm’s but that’s fine; the Liberal Party is a broad church. I didn’t expect this story to appear in the press.’’

On the same day that ASIO’s chief called Hastie, ­December 10, he also sat down with The Sunday Telegraph.

Turnbull, understandably, has been keen to invoke spy chief Lewis to repel the attacks of a group of MPs who all ­remain in close contact with Tony Abbott. Which is why it is a tragedy that Lewis has been dragged into this controversy.

Lewis outlined exactly the same views to this newspaper that he outlined privately to Hastie. That a Muslim backlash was a “dangerous’’ threat to national security and damaged the intelligence agencies’ source relationship with Muslim communities.

His predecessor, David Irvine, has made similar remarks. The Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin recently did too, warning that “words matter’’ when the Muslim community feels “under siege.’’

It is a rare event however for an ASIO chief to conduct an on the record newspaper ­interview, with The Sunday Telegraph having to seek formal permission for the briefing to be on the record and to even to bring a tape recorder to the ASIO headquarters which is usually forbidden.

It was in the diary for many weeks and arranged before the Paris massacre.

There was no involvement from the Prime Minister’s office in organising the interview or suggestions to ask about ASIO chief’s view on Islam or whether Muslim bashing rhetoric impacted on national security.

It was simply an obvious question to ask and it occurred towards the end of a long interview.

Turnbull, understandably, has been keen to invoke spy chief Lewis to repel the attacks of a group of MPs who all ­remain in close contact with Tony Abbott.

Which is why it is a tragedy that Lewis has been dragged into this controversy.

Hastie, a former SAS captain, has impeccable form when it comes to difficult and dangerous missions. But it seems that when the Prime Minister texted his mobile number to Lewis, he sent him on a mission that has proved calamitous for all involved.

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