The boss of Australia’s spy agency gave a rare television interview on Wednesday night in which he said it was “not helpful” to politicise national security, amid increasing attacks from the Coalition against Labor over China.
On the same day the Prime Minister called a Labor frontbencher a “Manchurian candidate” in parliament, ASIO director-general Mike Burgess fronted an interview with ABC’s 7.30 host, Leigh Sales.
In it, he was at pains to point out foreign interference targeted all members of parliament, regardless of their political party.
“We don’t believe that a foreign government could actually change the outcome of our election for a whole range of reasons,” he said.
“Our election process and our system of democracy is robust.
“I’m very confident that the vast majority of politicians that we deal with are actually thoroughly resistant to that type of foreign interference.”
Scott Morrison was on Wednesday forced to withdraw a comment in Question Time in which he called Labor’s deputy leader, Richard Marles, a “Manchurian candidate” – a reference to a politician being used as a puppet by an enemy or power.
Last week Defence Minister Peter Dutton claimed China had “decided” to back Labor at the election and had picked Anthony Albanese as its candidate.
“How concerned are you about politicians weaponising national security and intelligence in the lead up to the election?” Sales asked.
“Foreign interference is against all members of parliament, so it doesn’t go off to one particular party or the other; it’s kind of equal opportunity in that regards,” Mr Burgess said.
He said he wouldn’t comment on what politicians did, but emphasised ASIO was apolitical.
”My staff are apolitical; they put their lives on the line to actually protect Australians and Australia,” he said.
“It can’t make your job any easier when our politicians do politicise it,” Sales pressed.
“I’ll leave the politics to the politicians, but I’m very clear with everyone that I need to be that’s not helpful for us,” Mr Burgess said.
It is the second significant intervention from the ASIO boss in as many days, after Mr Burgess raised the same national security concerns during a Senate estimates hearing.
