Australia news and politics live: Australian Federal Police charge Chinese national with foreign interference
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Foreign interference an ‘appalling assault’ on Australian values, says AFP
The AFP have urged Australians to be viligant and look for signs of foreign interference after a Chinese national was accused of targeting a diaspora community.
ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said “foreign interference of the kind alleged is an appalling assault on Australian values, freedoms and sovereignty”.
Assisant Commissioner Stephen Nutt called it a “serious crime” which “undermines democracy and social cohesion”.
“One of the best defences to foreign interference is increased public awareness and reporting to authorities,” he said.
AFP allege Chinese national targeted members of Australian community
A Chinese national has been charged with reckless foreign interference.
The AFP allege that the woman, who is also an Australian permanent resident, was tasked by China’s public security bureau to covertly gather information about the Canberra branch of Guan Yin Citta, a Buddhist association.
This is the first time the AFP have charged a person with foreign interference in circumstances that allegedly involve the targeting of members of the Australian community.
Addressing the media, Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt said “we allege the activity was to support intellegience objectives of China’s public security bureau”.
The crime carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.
Israel’s foreign affairs minister criticises Sydney protest
Israel’s Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa’ar has told Australians to “wake up” criticising protestors who held a picture of Iran’s leader, Ali Khamenei, at Sunday’s Harbour Bridge march.
“The distorted alliance between the radical Left and fundamentalist Islam is sadly dragging the West toward the sidelines of history,” he wrote on X.
“In the picture: Radical protestors at Sydney Harbour Bridge today holding an image of Iran’s “Supreme Leader” - the most dangerous leader of fundamentalist Islam, the world’s largest exporter of terror and a mass executioner.”
PM congratulates new AFP head Krissy Barrett
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has congratulated Krissy Barrett on her appointment as the next Australian Federal Police Commissioner.
“Congratulations to Krissy Barrett who has been appointed as the next Australian Federal Police Commissioner,” the PM said in an Instagram post.
“Krissy has more than 20 years experience in policing, from counter terrorism to organised crime.”
NSW Greens seek to repeal police move-on powers
The NSW Greens are set to introduce legislation to “repeal the authoritarian police powers used to shut down peaceful protests”.
In a statement, Greens MLC Sue Higginson announced the move, saying that people who engage in peaceful protest are “committing no crime”.
“If you are peacefully protesting and committing no crime, the police should not have the power to move you on,” the statment said.
Port Arthur victim’s father urges government to abandon gun law changes
A husband and father of victims of Australia’s worst mass shooting has aired his deep concern about a bid to legalise silencers and recognise a “right to hunt” on public land.
Walter Mikac, who lost his wife Nanette and daughters Alannah and Madeline in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, accused NSW Premier Chris Minns of doing a backroom deal with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party.
The minor party has introduced a conservation hunting bill that it says is designed to get more hunters involved in controlling invasive species.
But the bill would provide greater access to guns and legalise silencers, which risked negating Australia’s firearms restrictions introduced in the wake of the 1996 massacre, Mr Mikac said.
“NSW is on the verge of undoing the only positive thing that came out of Port Arthur that day - the political commitment for Australia to have one of the strongest firearm safety frameworks in the world,” he said on Monday.
Albanese clarifies role of the Treasurer Jim Chalmer’s roundtable as ideas forum
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sought to clarify the role of Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ roundtable.
He’s played it down as not a forum for government decision-making but as a place of ideas.
“This is a roundtable and just that. Not more than that, not replacement of the Cabinet, we are not contracting out our decision-making processes,” he said.
“We should not be frightened of ideas.
“We should not be frightened of it, and that is why we say we are not going to get into the rule-in, rule-out game or anything else. We are open to ideas, our focus on government is on delivering what we said.”
PM doubles down that Hamas must have no role in any future Palestinian state
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese doubled down on Australia’s position that Hamas must have no role in any future Palestinian state.
Asked what Australia’s own pathway and timeline to recognising Palestinian statehood would be, the PM told Canberra reporters, “Hamas is a terrorist organisation”.
“They should have no role to play in a future Palestinian state, and I note the conference from the Arab League last week,” he said.
He added criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for actions that undermine a two-state solution and around the distribution of aid.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has made comments that are certainly not consistent with a two-state solution as well, and we have been critical of some of the actions of Israel in particular,” he said.
“The decision they made in March to breach what has been expected of a democratic nation and withhold the supply of aid for people who desperately needed it.
“My message would be the same privately as it has been in the past. I said to Prime Minister Netanyahu before, as I have said publicly for a long period of time, that I am a supporter of a two-state solution and there cannot be peace and security in the Middle East without there being an advance on the two-state solution.”
Albanese thanks Sydney Harbour Bridge protesters ‘peaceful’ rally
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has thanked protesters who took to Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday for their “peaceful” rally.
“In a democracy, it is a good thing people peacefully express their views. Yesterday’s march was peaceful and an opportunity for people to express their concern about what is happening in Gaza,” he said.
“It is not surprising so many Australians have been affected… (and) want to show their concern.
“I don’t support when there have been breaches of the peace which has occurred in the past. What we saw yesterday was a peaceful demonstration in a democracy.”
