A woman has been charged with foreign interference in Canberra for allegedly acting on behalf of a Chinese government agency to gather intelligence about a local Buddhist group, Guan Yin Citta. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) claim that the accused, a Chinese national and permanent resident, was specifically directed by a Chinese public security bureau to gather information covertly.
The woman was arrested on Saturday following the execution of search warrants at her Canberra residence, where police confiscated several electronic devices. She appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court facing a single count of reckless foreign interference, a charge that could result in a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. This charge comes as a result of a collaborative investigation known as Operation Autumn-Shield, which involved both the AFP and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).
This incident marks only the third occasion on which someone has been charged with foreign interference under the National Security Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Act that was enacted seven years ago. Previous charges have been brought against individuals in Victoria and New South Wales in 2020 and 2023, respectively.
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt from the AFP stated that this case is notable as it involves an individual allegedly targeting members of the Australian community. He highlighted the seriousness of foreign interference, noting that it poses a threat to democracy and social stability in Australia. Nutt also cautioned that Australia is not immune to foreign interference efforts from other nations, particularly in the current era of heightened regional tensions.
In a similar vein, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess expressed pride in the collaboration leading to the charge, labelling such foreign interference activities as an “appalling assault on Australian values”. Through this year’s Annual Threat Assessment, he warned perpetrators that ASIO maintains a vigilant stance against these practices, asserting a zero-tolerance policy towards attempts at intimidation or monitoring people within Australian diaspora communities.
According to the AFP, foreign interference is characterised as any action conducted by or for a foreign government that may use coercive, threatening, deceptive, or secretive methods. As this case unfolds, authorities are urging Australians to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities that might indicate targeting of individuals or groups in the community.