Joe Hockey demands ‘traitor’ politician be identified

ASIO boss Mike Burgess has defended his refusal to name the former politician who allegedly sold out Australia to foreign spies as critics, including former treasurer Joe Hockey, demanded he reveal the person’s identity.

Burgess’s latest annual threat assessment, delivered on Wednesday night, did not name the politician who attempted to bring a prime minister’s relative into the orbit of foreign spies.

Former treasurer Joe Hockey wants the identity of the “traitor” revealed.Credit: Peter Rae

“I am not going to name the individual: we are a rule-of-law country, and if they’re not doing it now, they’re not breaking the law, so there’s nothing our mates in the Australian Federal Police can do, nor should they,” Burgess told reporters in a rare question-and-answer session at ASIO headquarters in Canberra.

“If we see them go active again, and they need our attention, the taskforce’s attention, or the federal police’s attention, I can guarantee they will get it.”

Saying that harm had been caused by the ex-politician’s behaviour, Burgess said: “Personally, I don’t think they will be stupid enough to repeat what they’ve done in the past, so problem neutralised.”

Burgess said he was grateful that protections against foreign interference had since been strengthened, suggesting the activity occurred before 2018 when landmark legislation to protect Australia from foreign interference passed parliament.

Burgess’ revelation has electrified Canberra, with the nation’s political class frantically trying to establish the identity of the ex-politician and the former prime minister’s relative.

Burgess described a dedicated unit within the foreign intelligence service as an “A-team” that made Australia its primary target and operated for several years until at least last year.

Speculation on the politician’s identity intensified on Thursday, as Defence Minister Richard Marles said he did not know who the politician was but that he respected ASIO’s decision to not name the person.

“As the director-general [Burgess] has said, they’ve completely undermined and sold out both their colleagues and their country and that’s really the issue here,” Marles told ABC TV on Thursday morning.

Defence Minister Richard Marles says he does not know the identity of the politician alleged to have spoken to foreign spies.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Hockey demanded the former politician be named, agreeing with a question on whether he felt personally smeared as a former public servant and saying the revelations have raised questions in Washington, where he is currently based as a consultant.

“It raises questions for the Five Eyes relationship, and there’s sharing of intelligence particularly with existing members of parliament and former members of parliament for Australia,” Hockey told ABC Radio National.

“If anyone believes in transparency and accountability and the integrity of our freedom and the best interest of our nation, then the head of our intelligence agency, or the minister responsible, needs to name who that person was as a traitor to Australia.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton backed Hockey’s call to identify the politician.

“I think it is unfair on a lot of former MPs who are patriotic, as 99.9 per cent on both sides are, and if there’s one that they’ve identified who’s not, then, frankly, that person should be outed and shamed,” he told Ray Hadley on Sydney radio station 2GB.

Hadley said he believed the politician to be a former Labor member from NSW, adding the country in question was China. He asked Dutton if that would be where he was looking.

“That’d be where I put my money,” Dutton replied. This masthead does not suggest the guess is correct.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers also disputed Hockey’s call for the former politician to be named as they respected ASIO’s decision.

“I respect their advice and I don’t intend to second guess it. You know, I know Mike Burgess, I work with Mike Burgess and I know that he wouldn’t have said this without good reason,” Chalmers told ABC Radio National.

The treasurer disagreed the revelation would raise suspicions about politicians.

“Not necessarily, but I guess I can only repeat what I said a moment ago, he wouldn’t have done it this way if he didn’t think it was necessary to do it this way,” he said.

“Mike Burgess is an absolute professional, and I respect the advice we get from him and from ASIO. This is ultimately a matter for them, how they publicise their important work.”

‘I have a fair idea [on who the politician is], but I won’t be publicly speculating about that.’

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson

In Burgess’ speech, the ASIO head said individuals should be grateful the 2018 espionage and foreign interference laws were not retrospective, suggesting the plot operated for at least five years and involved a politician before those laws were passed.

Coalition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said there was a risk of a smear against all politicians if the government does not provide more detail.

“The home affairs minister [Clare O’Neil] should make a statement to the house providing as much detail as is possible to provide clarity around this to avoid that type of smear against all …politicians,” he said.

Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson also said it was very pointed that Burgess mentioned those laws, and it meant people had engaged in this conduct prior to 2018.

“I have a fair idea [on who the politician is], but I won’t be publicly speculating about that. That wouldn’t be appropriate and in a sense, it doesn’t matter,” Paterson told Sky News this morning.

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