Act on foreign influence, says Malcolm Turnbull

Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says he is ‘puzzled’ why the transparency register introduced by his government isn’t being more rigorously enforced.

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: David Caird

Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says he is “puzzled” why the transparency register introduced by his government isn’t being more rigorously enforced, with “blatant” foreign influence operations being carried out by countries such as China.

The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme was introduced in 2017, forcing people to register activities they carry out in Australia on behalf of a foreign principal and for the purpose of “political or governmental influence”. While it has captured the activities of former politicians, including Kevin Rudd, who needed to register his appearances on the BBC, Mr Turnbull said it was not working as it should.

“The problem is not the legislation … (it) is an enforcement problem,” he told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

“The United Front Work department is an agency of the Chinese Communist Party. It … is very well documented and yet, apparently, nobody is declaring any connection with it in Australia. Now that beggars belief.”

The United Front is tasked with “rallying” overseas Chinese diaspora to promote its messages and gather intelligence, and is known to operate in Australia.

But there is no sign of anyone linked with the department on the transparency registry. “I’m puzzled that the legislation has not been more rigorously enforced,” Mr Turnbull said.