ASIO to advise federal politicians on avoiding foreign plots: Mike Burgess

The nation’s spy agency will issue advice to all federal politicians following an attempt by overseas operatives to infiltrate senior levels of government.

ASIO director-general Mike Burgess says there is evidence overseas intelligence services were seeking to ‘curry favour’ with politicians Picture: Gary Ramage

The nation’s domestic spy agency will issue advice to all federal politicians on how to avoid becoming ensnared in foreign interference plots, following an attempt by overseas intelligence operatives to infiltrate senior levels of government.

ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said there was evidence overseas intelligence services were seeking to “curry favour” with politicians at all levels of government, in some cases by taking advantage of secret weaknesses, sexual preferences, infidelities and greed.

He told a Senate estimates hearing that ASIO had stepped up its investigations into espionage and foreign interference, as foreign governments seek information on Australia’s strategic capabilities, cutting-edge research, and domestic and foreign policies.

The advice to MPs would tell them “what to look for and how they should handle it”.

“We see evidence of intelligence services deceptively cultivating politicians at all levels of government who will advance the interests of the foreign countries,” Mr Burgess said.

“In the coming weeks I will write to all commonwealth parliamentarians to warn they are attractive targets for those trying to steal our secrets and manipulate our decision-making.

“And ASIO will continue to liaise with the states and territories to ensure they understand the threat and what they can do about it.”

He confirmed ASIO had in recent times disrupted a plot to recruit senior government employees to access classified information about Australian intelligence agencies’ operations and capabilities — especially those directed at their country.

“An Australia-based foreign national and a team of foreign intelligence officers were trying to recruit multiple Australian security clearance holders,” Mr Burgess said.

“The agents wanted sensitive information about our intelligence activities, particularly those directed against their home country.”

He said he had spoken in recent times to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese about specific foreign interference threats, along with state and territory leaders.

Mr Burgess said local government councillors were the most frequently targeted by foreign agents, potentially because they would later go on to higher office.

He reiterated his past warning that there were more foreign spies and proxies operating in Australia than at any time since the Cold War.

Mr Burgess repeatedly declined to name the countries involved in the foreign interference plots identified by ASIO, saying multiple intelligence services were targeting Australia.

However, there is a consensus in the intelligence and security community that China poses the greatest foreign interference risk.

“Almost every sector of Australian society” was a potential target for foreign agents, Mr Burgess said.

“The problem is simple. You’ve got foreign governments who covertly direct people to develop relationships, to try and curry favour, and one day they will call in that favour,” he added.

“Some good people may not even understand they have been influenced in a way that is counter to our national interests.”