Foreign agents are now “highly active” in plots to steal Australian military secrets, with Defence warning the threat to the nation’s multi-billion-dollar shipbuilding projects is considered “extreme”.
The alarming and blunt assessment is being cited as an official reason by the Department for blocking the public release of confidential briefing notes to the Morrison Government about current and future maritime projects.
In response to a freedom of information (FOI) application, the Defence Department has warned: “Foreign Intelligence Services are currently assessed as posing an extreme threat to Sovereign Capability and Commonwealth Strategic Interests.
“These adversaries are highly active in pursuing access to information relating to Australia’s current and future maritime capabilities in order to advance their own interest and undermine Australian capabilities,” the Department notes in a formal submission written this month.
“Release of this information may be used to directly, or indirectly, damage Australian interests.”
Over recent years, Australian security officials have publicly alluded to the threat posed by foreign agents to Australia’s large-scale military projects.
Read more from here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-16/defence-warns-active-foreign-spies-threaten-shipbuilding-plans/12562536
For more from ABC News, click here: https://ab.co/2kxYCZY
You can watch more ABC News content on iview: https://ab.co/2OB7Mk1
Subscribe to us on YouTube: http://ab.co/1svxLVE
Go deeper on our ABC News In-depth channel: https://ab.co/2lNeBn2
You can also like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/abcnews.au
Or follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/abcnews_au
Or even on Twitter: http://twitter.com/abcnews
