PM says he believes US briefing was ‘not classified’ as Chau Chak Wing’s lawyer attacks Andrew Hastie’s claims

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed he has sought information from Australia’s intelligence agencies about the implications of the chair of parliament’s intelligence committee publicly revealing details of an FBI investigation provided by American officials in a private briefing.



It comes as the governor of the reserve bank, Philip Lowe, called for Australia to “avoid escalating issues” with China during a speech in Sydney on Wednesday night.

Facing questions about his knowledge of Andrew Hastie’s decision to use parliamentary privilege on Tuesday night to name one of Australia’s biggest political donors as the person funding the bribery of a senior United Nations official, Turnbull continued to insist he had no prior warning of the contribution.

Asked by Bill Shorten in the House whether he had sought information from intelligence agencies after Hastie’s speech “about the implications of publicly sharing the details of an FBI investigation which has been provided by our ally”, Turnbull replied: “Yes, I have.”

Turnbull says he was not warned before MP made donor bribery claim in parliament Read more

Asked whether Hastie was authorised to disclose information about an FBI investigation that was obtained during confidential briefings in the United States, Turnbull said his understanding was the briefing was “not classified” and had also been attended by Labor members of the intelligence committee.

As Shorten pursued the line of inquiry during question time on Wednesday, one government MP interjected to the Labor leader: “Whose side are you on?”

Senior government figures have distanced themselves from Hastie’s contribution, which landed in the middle of a concerted effort by the government to de-escalate the diplomatic tensions with China triggered by the government’s crackdown on foreign interference.

In a speech to the Australia-China Relations Institute on Wednesday night, Lowe, the RBA governor, called for greater understanding between the two countries and made an appeal for calm as the troubled political relationship between the two nations again surfaced.

“We will, of course, have differences from time to time, but we will surely be better placed to deal with these if we understand one another well,” Lowe said.

He said disputes were inevitable but that there was a need to avoid escalation when they arose.

“I’m not going to comment at a political level but in all relationships there are going to be ups and downs, aren’t there?” he said.

“I do think that it’s important that we avoid escalating issues when they arise. There will be issues coming up periodically, of course, but we need mechanisms for de-escalation.

“There will be ups and downs but if we can develop [that] understanding and connection ... we’re going to be a in much better position to handle those. I think the politicians understand that as well.”

Hastie used a speech in the parliament’s Federation Chamber on Tuesday night to identify the Chinese-Australian billionaire Chau Chak Wing as “co-conspirator 3” in a 2015 American bribery case, which alleged John Ashe, the former president of the UN general assembly, had been paid to assist in the smooth progress of business deals.

The Liberal MP said he confirmed Chau’s identity while leading a delegation to the US to discuss Australia’s foreign interference and espionage laws, as the chair of the parliamentary intelligence and security committee, and believed it was his “duty” to share what he had learnt.

The trade minister, Steve Ciobo, defended the billionaire on Wednesday, saying he was entitled to a presumption of innocence. Asked whether he had concerns about the matters Hastie raised during his speech on Tuesday night, the trade minister said he was not privy to the material that had been shared in the US with members of parliament’s intelligence committee.

“In all the dealings I have had with Dr Chau, I’ve never been concerned about any aspect of the dealings that I’ve had,” Ciobo told Sky News. “If there was anything untoward or anything improper ... I would have raised it with authorities. Never once has that been my experience.

“And I would also note that Dr Chau has brought [legal] action against those that have suggested otherwise.”

Ciobo noted that in Australia “we operate on the presumption of innocence until prove guilty, and I think that’s an important principle to bear in mind in these sorts of circumstances”.

Chau’s lawyer, Mark O’Brien, issued a statement on behalf of his client on Wednesday night blasting Hastie’s contribution. The statement suggested the intervention was connected to defamation proceedings against Fairfax Media that will be heard on 12 June.

Chinese-Australian billionaire involved in UN bribery case, MP claims Read more

Fairfax and the ABC have previously reported Chau Chak Wing was suspected of being “co-conspirator 3 or CC3”. Chau has denied the allegation and launched legal action.

“Our client is very disappointed that an elected representative would use the cover of parliamentary privilege to repeat old claims and attack his reputation just weeks before some of these matters are tested in the court,” the statement said.

“Mr Hastie purports to be acting in the interests of Australians. It seems he has forgotten or disregarded the right all Australian citizens to a presumption of innocence unless proven otherwise.”

Hastie told the chamber on Tuesday night he was naming Chau to ensure Australia’s democracy and free press could operate without interference. “CC3 is a Chinese-Australian citizen,” he said. “He has also been a very significant donor to both of our major political parties.

“He has given more than $4m since 2004. He has also donated $45m to universities in Australia. The Australian press has reported these matters, and others, and have been sued for defamation by CC3.

“CC3 disputes a number of the reported allegations.

“The merits of these defamation cases are appropriately left for a court. My concern is defamation cases can have a chilling effect on our free press.

“Any attempt to silence our media from our telling the truth, provided it is the truth, through a defamation claim cannot stand.

“Our democracy only works if we have a free press, which can publish information which serves the public interest.

“We don’t always like what the press writes but they are essential to a free and flourishing democracy. The Australian people deserve the truth.”