Our spy laws are out of date (again)

This is not the first time our spy laws have been inadequate

This is not the first time in ASIO’s history that those who wish to harm our nation could not be charged because no law was broken.

Following the Petrov affair in 1954, when the head of Soviet spy operations in Australia defected and blew the lid on traitorous Australian communists, the Royal Commission into Espionage did not recommend anyone for prosecution despite evidence to the contrary.

Writing in the Unfiltered newsletter, Alexandra Marshall had this to say:

Our spy laws are woefully out of date, argues Michael de Percy. Reading his article, it becomes painfully clear that while our politicians are busy drafting millions of pages of legislation to control the lives of ordinary Australian citizens, they spend practically no time at all devising ways to protect this nation from traitors and spies. Indeed, the last time anyone tried to update the policy framework, it was so poorly done that it effectively protected China’s interests and instead actively sought out conservatives and geopolitical allies. We saw this very clearly when the first victims of the garbage foreign interference laws were former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, UK former MEP and commentator Nigel Farage, and the CPAC team. And yet here we are, hearing that a real threat to Australia is going to remain anonymous and walk away unpunished.

My latest in The Spectator Australia, Our spy laws are out of date (again).