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By Lidia Kelly
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on Sunday defended the government’s right to conduct intelligence raids to prevent foreign interference, after China condemned searches of the homes of its journalists working in Australia.
Dutton declined to directly confirm that the Chinese journalists were questioned by Australia’s intelligence agency in June, saying an investigation was still ongoing, but said
there was some “activity” by the country’s intelligence agency.
“When (the Australian Security Intelligence Organization) has good cause for the execution of a search warrant, or for other activities, then they will undertake that activity,” Dutton said on Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) television.
“If people pose as journalists or business leaders or whoever they are, and there is evidence that they are acting contrary to Australian law, then … (the) agencies will act.”
The raids were revealed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry last week following the departure of two Australian journalists from China after being questioned by Chinese police. Australia’s trade minister said on Friday that the agencies acted on the basis of evidence related to a foreign interference investigation.
On Saturday, China’s state media condemned the raids.
Relations between Australia and its main trading partner China have gradually deteriorated in recent years and have soured even further this year after Canberra called for an investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus, enraging Beijing.
China has imposed trade restrictions on products like barley and wine, prompting Australia to toughen national security tests for foreign investment.
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Edited by Kim Coghill)
