Opposition Criticizes Decision to Remove Spy Chiefs from Key Organization
The surprising decision was made during a visit by Beijing’s foreign minister to Australia.
The Shadow Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Simon Birmingham believes that the Albanese Labor government has some explaining to do.
This comes after reports surfaced that the federal government had removed Australia’s top spy chiefs from the National Security Committee (NSC), the highest decision-making body for security and threats to the country.
Traditionally, the NSC includes cabinet ministers and the heads of Australia’s intelligence organizations, such as the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS).
However, on March 18, Director-Generals Mike Burgess (ASIO) and Kerri Hartland (ASIS) were removed from the committee just before Beijing’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s official visit to Canberra.
The opposition’s Mr. Birmingham described the allegations as “remarkable.”
He emphasized the importance of having ASIO and ASIS at NSC meetings to provide valuable insight and intelligence understanding.
He urged the Albanese government to be transparent about who is invited to NSC meetings and reverse the decision to exclude these agencies.
Amidst all this, Senator Don Farrell questioned the closeness of Australia’s relationship with the United States during a parliamentary session on March 18.
The surprising move and Senator Farrell’s comments coincide with Foreign Minister Wang’s visit to Australia.
These tariffs were imposed in response to trade sanctions in 2020 following calls for an international COVID-19 inquiry from then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
With the Labor Party in power since May 2022, efforts have been made to normalize ties with Beijing, resulting in a more restrained response to Beijing’s actions.
Previously, in late 2023, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was criticized for allegedly staying silent about a Beijing-induced sonar incident that harmed Australian navy divers.
The decision was made in consultation with various government departments, including Defence, Foreign Affairs, Attorney-General, Home Affairs, and the Office of National Intelligence.
