Marise Payne calls out pandemic 'disinformation' in major speech

In a major address at the Australian National University in Canberra on Tuesday night, Senator Payne reaffirmed Australia's commitment to global multilateral bodies, following an audit of all such bodies.

"Concerningly, we have seen disinformation pushed and promoted around the coronavirus pandemic and around some of the social pressures that have been exacerbated by the pandemic," Senator Payne said.

It was "troubling that some countries are using the pandemic to undermine liberal democracy and promote their own, more authoritarian models," she said.

The European Commission issued a report last week that concluded Russia and China were the main culprits in carrying out targeted disinformation campaigns "seeking to undermine democratic debate and exacerbate social polarisation, and improve their own image in the COVID-19 context".

Social media platform Twitter has also disclosed it discovered over 32,000 accounts it determined were state-linked information operations, which the company attributed to China, Russia and Turkey.

Senator Payne described it as an "infodemic".

She also rejected as "disinformation" Chinese warnings that tourists and students should reconsider coming to Australia because of the risk of racism.

"I can say emphatically that Australia will welcome students and visitors from all over the world, regardless of race, gender or nationality," she said.

"The disinformation we have seen contributes to a climate of fear and division when what we need is co-operation and understanding."

She reiterated a comment made by Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier praising the swift health-protection actions of Chinese-Australians returning from China in the early period of COVID-19.

At the weekend, Australia co-signed with 131 other countries and observers a Latvian-led statement warning that COVID-19 had "created conditions that enable the spread of disinformation, fake news and doctored videos to foment violence and divide communities".

"I can assure you that Australia will resist and counter efforts at disinformation," Senator Payne said.

"We will do so through facts and transparency, underpinned by liberal democratic values that we will continue to promote at home and abroad."

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Senator Payne signalled a more active approach by Australia in multilateral forums, drawing on the example of Australia's push for an independent inquiry into COVID-19.

"By all means, we can be small in our thinking, timid in purpose and risk-averse. Alternatively, and in my view vitally necessary, we can be confident, believe in Australia's role in the world and prioritise Australia's sovereignty - and Australians' long term interests - by making the difficult decisions and choices," she said.

"That's what leading and governing must be about."

In closing the speech, Senator Payne defended the position Australia took, which has been linked to decisions by China to impose tariffs and bans on some Australian exports and to advise against Australia as a destination for international education.

"There were those who said that, by speaking out on the need for a review, we made ourselves a target and brought upon ourselves an unnecessary cost for a cause that would have been championed anyway by others whose size and stature made them more suitable standard-bearers," she said.

"To those who have said, 'Well, this would have all happened anyway', let me say that nothing just happens anyway."