Intelligence experts have warned Prime Minister Scott Morrison his attempts to cast Labor as soft on China could backfire.
The Coalition has significantly ramped up its criticism of the opposition over the past week.
It came to a head on Wednesday after Mr Morrison labelled deputy leader Richard Marles a “Manchurian candidate” – a reference to a politician being used as a puppet by an enemy or power.
But the Prime Minister’s commentary has not been welcomed by experts, who have warned Mr Morrison is playing into the hands of Beijing.
“The government is seeking to create the perception of a difference between it and the opposition on a critical national security issue that is China, seeking to create the perception of a difference where none in practice exists,” former ASIO boss Dennis Richardson told the ABC.
“That is not in the national interest. That only serves the interest of one country and that is China.”
He called the shift in rhetoric “puzzling” given the bipartisan nature of parliament on these issues.
Current ASIO director-general Mike Burgess on Wednesday intervened in the public debate for the second time in as many days.
In a rare media appearance on the ABC’s 7.30, the spy chief bluntly told politicians to stop politicising the work of ASIO.
“My staff are apolitical; they put their lives on the line to actually protect Australians and Australia,” he said.
“I will leave the politics to the politicians but I'm very clear with everyone, I need to be, that that is not helpful for us.”
Mr Burgess revealed in his annual threat assessment that ASIO had thwarted an attempt by a foreign power to interfere with an upcoming election.
With an election firmly within his sights, Mr Morrison and Mr Dutton have used the past week to craft the narrative Labor is weak on China and national security.
It’s in stark contrast to the Prime Minister’s past contributions.
In a 2019 address to the Lowy Institute, Mr Morrison agreed the back and forth was not in the national interest.
“If you look at the rise of China as some great ideological struggle between two world views, well that can take you to a dangerous end – and I don’t subscribe to that analysis – I don’t think it’s in Australia’s interests,” he said at the time.
Mr Richardson, who is also a former boss of Australia’s Department of Defence, believes Mr Morrison will pivot back to bipartisanship on China if the Coalition is re-elected.
“The government is quite happy for you and I to be talking about this right now. It suits their political purposesxjmtzyw,” he told the ABC.
“If it won the election, it would seek to pick up the pieces and put it back together after the election.”
Labor’s home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said Coalition claims about the opposition being soft on China were “a desperate act from a desperate prime minister”.
