Australian foreign minister warns politicians against spy threat

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne

(dpa/NAN)

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Wednesday warned the country’s politician to be vigilant against threats of spying and manipulation from foreign actors.

“The threat is as high or higher than it has ever been, that’s what intelligence agencies are telling us’’ Payne said on commercial radio station 2GB.

Payne said foreign interference was rife around the world and malicious actors and foreign spies were using new technology to target key people at a time of rising strategic tensions.

Her warning comes a day after the head of Australia’s domestic security organisation ASIO, Mike Burgess, told a Senate committee he would write to federal politicians on what to look out for and how to respond if they think they are being targeted by spies.

News Agency Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported.

Neither Payne nor Burgess named which countries the threat comes from.

In June federal police raided the home and office of a New South Wales Labor Party politician and those of four Chinese journalists as part of an investigation into an alleged Chinese government interference plot.

Breaking news & top stories

Stay connected with The Sun Newspaper

Get breaking news, exclusive stories, and live updates delivered straight to your phone. Join thousands of readers already following us on Whatsapp Channel and Telegram.

Breaking news & top stories

Follow The Sun Newspaper

Get live updates & exclusive stories delivered straight to your phone.

Breaking news & top stories

Stay connected with The Sun Newspaper

Get breaking news, exclusive stories, and live updates delivered straight to your phone. Join thousands of readers already following us on Whatsapp Channel and Telegram.