Popular Articles
Today Week Month Year


Australia axes 2 spy chiefs ahead of Chinese foreign minister’s visit – is it to please Beijing?
By Richard Brown // Mar 21, 2024

Australia's government under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has removed the heads of the country's domestic and foreign intelligence agencies, ahead of state visits by Chinese officials.

The center-left Albanese government reportedly axed Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) Director-General Kerri Hartland and Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) Director-General of Security Mike Burgess. Canberra's edict removes both Hartland and Burgess from the Land Down Under's National Security Committee (NSC).

The ASIS is in charge of intelligence gathering and is comparable to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Meanwhile, the ASIO serves as Australia's national security agency and is comparable to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to the Epoch Times, the directive to remove the two top intelligence officials from the NSC came from an official order by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary Glyn Davis. Composed of government cabinet ministers and intelligence service heads, the NSC serves as the central body for decision-making on critical national security matters. Sky News Australia stated that following their removal, the roles of Hartland and Burgess have been reduced to providing briefings on a case-by-case basis.

Ultimately, the decision to remove the two has sparked debate over concerns that it could potentially impact the effectiveness of Australia's intelligence services.

Australia appears to be cleaning house ahead of Beijing visit

The timing of the move appears to be ahead of an impending visit by Chinese officials, which would make it appear that Canberra is cleaning house to please Beijing.

Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Use our decentralized, blockchain-based, uncensorable free speech platform at Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions.

Burgess, the ASIO's head since 2019, has consistently raised concerns about foreign interference and espionage. In particular, he has been vocal about the threat of foreign interference on Australian campuses, highlighting the scale of the challenge and the risks posed by aggressive spy networks.

In contrast, Davis was involved in renegotiating a contract with the Confucius Institute – an entity backed by the Chinese Communist Party – despite concerns about the institute's role in spreading propaganda. Critics have seized on this decision to question Davis' judgment, with some suggesting potential biases and conflicts of interest. (Related: Pompeo: All Beijing-run Confucius Institutes in the US could be closed by year-end.)

Revelations of Davis' role in the removal of the two intelligence heads emerged just before the scheduled visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the first in seven years. Albanese also extended a formal invitation to Chinese Premier Li Qiang to visit later this year as part of a diplomatic push for reconciliation with Beijing.

The Albanese government's approach to Beijing has differed significantly from previous administrations, particularly in its response to provocative actions by China. Despite criticisms of a perceived soft stance, the government has pursued efforts to improve relations with Beijing while facing challenges from within and external security concerns regarding strategic assets like the Port of Darwin.

The controversial action has sparked strong criticism from opposition figures, who warn of significant implications for national security.

Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie described the move as a concerning indication of the government's lack of direction on national security. He emphasized the vital role of intelligence chiefs in delivering critical insights to governments and expressed alarm over their absence from the committee responsible for key security decisions.

Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson echoed these concerns, asserting that the decision effectively silenced the most knowledgeable voices on intelligence matters within the government. He emphasized the importance of having access to expert advice from intelligence agencies when making decisions in the national interest.

Cameron Milner, chief of staff for Government Services Minister Bill Shorten, criticized Davis and his close ties to China. He also questioned why intelligence heads were excluded while Davis remained.

Head over to NationalSecurity.news for more stories like this.

Watch this Russia Today report about China's response to Australia buying U.S.-made nuclear submarines.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Australia risks OVERMINING in its bid to break China’s grip over minerals crucial to clean energy technology.

Australia to buy up to 5 nuclear-powered submarines from the US – and China isn't happy about it.

China set to have PERMANENT presence near Australia via deals with South Pacific nations.

Australia following Communist China's footsteps with digital ID system.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

SkyNews.com.au

Brighteon.com



Take Action:
Support NewsTarget by linking to this article from your website.
Permalink to this article:
Copy
Embed article link:
Copy
Reprinting this article:
Non-commercial use is permitted with credit to NewsTarget.com (including a clickable link).
Please contact us for more information.
Free Email Alerts
Get independent news alerts on natural cures, food lab tests, cannabis medicine, science, robotics, drones, privacy and more.

NewsTarget.com © 2022 All Rights Reserved. All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. NewsTarget.com is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. NewsTarget.com assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and those published on this site. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.

This site uses cookies
News Target uses cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using this site, you agree to our privacy policy.
Learn More
Close
Get 100% real, uncensored news delivered straight to your inbox
You can unsubscribe at any time. Your email privacy is completely protected.