Andrew Robb lashes Turnbull’s team over China

The government has been slapped with a rebuke from Andrew Robb over the targeting of ‘covert’ agents who work for foreign powers.

Former trade minister Andrew Robb. Picture: Elise Derwin

Malcolm Turnbull and top cabinet ministers have been slapped with a stinging rebuke from a former senior colleague over their plan to target “covert” agents who work for foreign powers, amid a political storm over Chinese influence in national affairs.

Former trade minister Andrew Robb, who masterminded John Howard’s 1996 election victory, warned the Prime Minister and other members of the national ­security committee of federal cabinet against fuelling a “smear” against his name that suggests “treasonous” activity because he advises a Chinese company.

The letter to the nation’s security ministers, obtained by The Australian, challenges the government’s claims and appears certain to escalate concerns about new criminal penalties on those who fail to sign up to a register of people working for foreign ­entities.

It also comes as the government last night moved to refer Labor senator Sam Dastyari to the privileges committee to investigate whether he has used his time in parliament to act as an agent for the Chinese government in return for taking money.

Attorney-General George Brandis was granted permission from the Senate President to refer Senator Dastyari to the committee, which has the power to apply jail terms of up to six months.

The foreign-­interference laws have sparked a strong reaction from Beijing. Mr Howard played down political concerns over the law changes and insisted they would not weaken public support for the Coalition at the December 16 by-election in Bennelong, which has a large Chinese community.

Mr Robb rejects the government’s suggestion that his work for Chinese company Landbridge will require him to sign up to the new security register and insists he has not done any work for the company in Australia.

“The unqualified emphasis and prominence given by government ministers to my supposed situation, alongside Senator Dastyari, has supported the clear implication and smear asserted by an earlier Four Corners program that I am engaged in some form of treasonous activity,” Mr Robb writes in the letter.

“No more damaging implication could be levelled against a present or former political figure.”

The extraordinary letter challenges the government’s claims on the day Mr Turnbull introduced the foreign-interference reforms into parliament, to set up a register of those working for foreign entities and to criminalise “covert” activities.

Mr Robb’s warnings over the attacks on his reputation carry influence across the Coalition and its supporters given his long service as Liberal Party federal director and trade minister, during which he led free-trade agreements with China, Japan and South Korea. The letter is dated December 6 and addressed to members of the national security committee of cabinet, which includes Mr Turnbull, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Treasurer Scott Morrison, Attorney-General ­George Brandis, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton and Defence Minister Marise Payne.

Mr Robb has been stung by criticism of his consulting role at Landbridge, a company that is reported to pay him $880,000 a year and runs the Port of Darwin under a contentious lease that was cleared by Australian security agencies but triggered criticism from the US. “I was not engaged to assist Landbridge with their various Australian business interests,” Mr Robb wrote. “I have not spent any time at all on the many Landbridge investments in Australia, a number of which have occurred since my engagement.”

Mr Robb mentioned one exception, his help in promoting Australian wine at a forum in Luzhou, and said his public declaration had been ignored by the media.

He added: “I fail to see why I would be required to sign up to the proposed security register.”

The government introduced three bills late yesterday to set up the transparency scheme for people or entities undertaking certain activities on behalf of foreign principals, making it a criminal offence to fail to register. Mr Turnbull told parliament of advice from ASIO director-general Duncan Lewis of the unprecedented threat from espionage and foreign influence.

“Looking around the world, we see civil society groups have been co-opted, activists have been silenced and former officials and politicians have been given concealed inducements to publicly and privately lobby for foreign state interests,” the Prime Minister said.

“Media reports have suggested that the Chinese Community Party has been working to covertly ­interfere with our media, our ­universities and even the decisions of elected representatives right here in this building.

“I take these reports seriously. Our relationship with China is far too important to put at risk failing to clearly set the terms of healthy and sustainable engagement.”

Labor has accused the government of “succumbing to populism” in its prosecution of the case for new security laws and against Senator Dastyari after Beijing issued Canberra with a furious missive.

Mr Howard called for the Labor senator to resign and rejected claims the government’s clamp on foreign influence could put off the large Chinese community in Bennelong ahead of a crucial by-election next weekend.

“I think everybody understands that when you come to this country, no matter where you come from, whether you come from China or India or Britain or Ireland or New Zealand or Greece or Italy, you become part of the Australian community,” Mr Howard said.

“When you come to this country, everybody is expected to play by those rules. It doesn’t matter what your background is, that doesn’t mean you stop loving the country you may have been born in, but once you come here you are part of the Australian mainstream. I don’t think the government is overreacting.”

A strong statement from the Chinese embassy in Canberra on Wednesday took aim at Australian politicians and officials, while a China Daily editorial suggested Beijing was angry Mr Turnbull had used reports about the Chinese government’s meddling in Australia to justify the security laws.

Ms Bishop said China was “deeply concerned” with the media attention on Senator Dastyari and accusations he improperly assisted a donor with alleged links to the Chinese government. Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said Labor would not take China’s protests into account when reviewing the government’s proposals to crack down on foreign interference in Australian politics.

Labor has baulked at pressure to force Senator Dastyari to leave the party or give up his upper house seat despite the scandal. He is a key member of the NSW Labor right and Bill Shorten will require votes from the grouping at the next party conference.

Additional reporting: Primrose Riordan