Guard national sovereignty from foreign interference

In light of warnings by security agencies of “unprecedented’’ foreign interference in Australia, ASIO’s investigation into NSW upper house Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane and his part-time staffer, businessman John Zhang, is vital to national security. The offices of both men have been raided in the past few days. Neither has been charged with any offence — the matters are being considered. But even former Labor senator Sam Dastyari — who quit federal politics in 2017 after revelations about his own links to Chinese Communist Party-aligned interests in Australia — acknowledges the seriousness of the issue. The investigation comes hard on the heels of revelations of increasing cyber attacks on government and business in Australia from a foreign player. It is a test of espionage and foreign interference laws passed by the Turnbull government in late 2017.

Security experts believe the ASIO raids were driven by deep concerns Mr Moselmane could be “taking instructions” as a “tasked individual” of the Chinese Communist Party, acting in hostile opposition to Australia’s interests. NSW voters are entitled to question Mr Moselmane’s values and loyalties. In June 2018 the MP claimed the only way for China to reach its potential was for it “to force a change to the rules and create a new world order’’. In March this year, his bizarre fawning over “phenomenal’’ and “breathtaking’’ efforts of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese people to combat COVID-19 defied logic and reason.

The Labor Party had no alternative but to suspend Mr Moselmane on Friday. On August 4, when the NSW parliament resumes, the party will move to suspend him from his position in the state’s upper house. It was the least it could do: the NSW government does not have the numbers in the upper house to suspend Mr Moselmane without Labor or crossbench support.

In an incredible new twist, Rachel Baxendale reports on Monday that Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’s staffer, Nancy Yang, completed CCP propaganda training in 2007 at the same Chinese institution where Mr Zhang trained in 2013. Both staffers have links to China’s United Front Work Department of the Central Committee, the CCP’s overseas influence and interference arm. Earlier this month, Baxendale reported that in March this year, Ms Yang, who had worked as a visa officer for the Chinese consulate in Melbourne, posted an article on her Facebook page about COVID-19 under the heading “Chinese official suggests US Army to blame for outbreak”. Mr Andrews, whose government is a signatory to China’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative, cannot insult Australians’ intelligence by dismissing such connections as “conspiracy theories’’. All sides of politics, and other organisations with close ties to China, such as universities, should be careful of China extending its largesse. The warnings are clear. In November last year, ASIO’s Director-General of Security, Mike Burgess, issued a statement noting that hostile foreign intelligence activity “continues to pose a real threat to our nation and its security’’. ASIO, Mr Burgess said, would “continue to confront and counter foreign interference and espionage in Australia’’. Politicians and staffers have been warned. Protecting national sovereignty is paramount.