Foreign interference poses an "equal opportunity" threat to members of parliament across political parties, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation director-general Mike Burgess said in a televised interview on Wednesday.
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The ASIO director-general was responding to a question from 7.30 host Leigh Sales about how concerned he was by comments from the prime minister and defence minister regarding the Chinese government's attitude to the Labor party.
"The foreign interference is against all members of parliament, so it doesn't go after one particular party or the other," Mr Burgess said.
"So it's kind of equal opportunity in that regards."
"I won't comment on what politicians do," he said, before stressing that ASIO was an apolitical body.
Pressed once more about the impacts of comments from politicians about foreign interference on his job, Mr Burgess added: "I'll leave the politics to the politicians, but I'm very clear with everyone that I need to be that that's not helpful for us."
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday called deputy Labor leader Richard Marles the "Manchurian candidate" during question time before withdrawing the comment.
Last week, Defence Minister Peter Dutton claimed that Labor Leader Anthony Albanese was the Chinese government's preferred prime ministerial candidate.
In his annual threat assessment, delivered last week, Mr Burgess outlined that the threat of espionage and foreign interference has overtaken terrorism as the country's principal security concern.
He also revealed that a "wealthy puppeteer" with deep connections to a foreign government and its spy agency had attempted to influence an Australian election.
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Miriam Webber
Miriam Webber is a federal politics and public sector reporter, with a keen interest in integrity, transparency and accountability in government. She has been a member of the federal political bureau since 2023, and previously worked as the city reporter. Reach her at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au
Miriam Webber is a federal politics and public sector reporter, with a keen interest in integrity, transparency and accountability in government. She has been a member of the federal political bureau since 2023, and previously worked as the city reporter. Reach her at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au
