Kristina Keneally weighs in on claims of Chinese election interference

Labor frontbencher Kristina Keneally has responded to claims China interfered in Australia’s federal election campaign.

Labor’s home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally has accused her government counterpart of indulging in “conspiratorial fantasies”.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews had effectively suggested China deliberately timed the signing of its security pact with Solomon Islands to coincide with the Australian federal election.

In an interview on Brisbane radio on Wednesday, Ms Andrews warned the move amounted to “political interference” from Beijing.

“Why now, why right in the middle of a federal election campaign is all of this coming to light?” she said.

“I mean we talk about political interference and that has many forms. So, I think we need to be aware of what Beijing is doing and what it is trying to achieve.”

Senator Keneally on Thursday revealed her own aspirations to take on Ms Andrews’ ministerial portfolio should Labor form government after the May 21 poll.

“Of course all of these decisions are made by the leader, but, yes, I’ve had every indication that the portfolios I currently hold are the ones I’d take into government,” she told reporters in Sydney.

Kristina Keneally has revealed her ministerial aspirations for after the election. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Senator Keneally demanded Ms Andrews provide intelligence briefings to back up her “unhinged commentary” about foreign interference in the election campaign.

“If Karen Andrews does not have intelligence briefings suggesting that there has been attempts at foreign interference in our election campaign, then she needs to clarify that to the public right now,” she said.

The freshly inked security pact between Honiara and Beijing has sparked alarm because it could lead to China establishing a military base in the Pacific some 2000km off mainland Australia’s coast.

The deal has been bruising for the Coalition because it has cast doubt on the Morrison government’s management of its relationships with Pacific island neighbours and its engagement with china.

The agreement was signed as Australia’s election race kicked off and after the federal government failed in its last-minute diplomatic attempt to convince Solomon Islands’ government otherwise.

The Coalition had been attempting to beef up its credentials on national security in the lead-up to the official election campaign.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews effectively suggested Beijing may have interfered in the Australian election. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Morrison government MPs have more recently sought to revive the debate around boat arrivals as a key security issue, positioning Labor as the weaker choice on borders in the lead-up to the election.

Both major parties have been firm in saying anyone who arrives in Australia by boat will not be allowed to settle here.

Labor has for years supported two of the three pillars of the Coalition’s Operation Sovereign Borders – boat turnbacks and offshore processing.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has tried to position Labor as weaker on borders. Picture: Lachie Millard

But Labor doesn’t support temporary protection visas on the grounds that they can leave refugees in limbo after they have been living in Australia.

Senator Keneally said on Thursday the only temporary protection visas had been issued to refugees who arrived in Australia before Operation Sovereign Borders came into effect in 2013.

“So this cohort of people, about 20,000, every three or five years the government demands they go through a bureaucratic process to get a protection status again. It’s unnecessary and costly,” she said.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton earlier claimed a Labor government wouldn’t be able to “make decisions that need to be made” on Australia’s borders.

“The temporary protection visas are the most important element of the three pillars of Operation Sovereign Borders,” he said.