Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has jumped to the defence of party colleague Andrew Hastie following his decision to name Chinese businessman Chau Chak Wing as an alleged suspect in an FBI bribery investigation.
The federal opposition on Thursday is questioning whether Mr Hastie surprised US officials with his decision to name the Chinese national.
On Tuesday, Mr Hastie used parliamentary privilege to accuse the wealthy Chinese-Australian businessman, who has donated to both major political parties, of bribing a high-profile United Nations official.
File image of Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton. Source: AAP
The information came from US intelligence officials, Mr Hastie said, prompting questions from Labor as to whether the Americans were expecting the information to be made public.
“There's concern here about what the impact of using information provided by US government authorities in confidential briefings in the United States to make public statements here in Australia might be on future relations with our closest ally,” Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus told reporters.
Mr Dreyfus sits on the cross-party intelligence committee chaired by Mr Hastie.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the briefing with the US was not classified, but confirmed he was seeking advice from security agencies on the impact of the public outing.
Mr Dreyfus said the prime minister should explain whether he'd reprimand the Liberal MP.
On Wednesday, Mr Turnbull confirmed he had no “forewarning” of Mr Hastie’s plan before it happened.
Labor MP Linda Burney said it was “incredible that Andrew Hastie would take these actions without discussing it with the prime minister”.
Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton defended Mr Hastie, referencing his colleague’s past career in Australia’s elite SASR forces.
“Andrew Hastie is a person of impeccable character. He has this nation's best interests at heart,” Mr Dutton said.
“He has an outlook on national security that very few of us could bring to the table. He is a patriot of this country, he is a person of fine character.”
Mr Dutton said he did not know the source of the intelligence Mr Hastie was referencing and said that was a matter for him.
The US Embassy in Canberra issued a short statement declaring the US had “no better ally or friend than Australia”.
“It is ultimately an issue for the Government of Australia to determine how to most appropriately to address foreign interference.”
Lawyers for Mr Chau, meanwhile, said their client had a right to the presumption of innocence.
Dr Chau's lawyer Mark O'Brien said in a statement his client was disappointed parliamentary privilege was used to "repeat old claims" just weeks before a defamation hearing.
"Our client has not been charged with any offence, which makes Mr Hastie's attack all the more extraordinary," the statement said.
Mr Chau is taking legal action against the ABC and Fairfax Media over reports that allegedly implied he had paid bribes to influence Australian politics. The defence teams are arguing the allegations are true – one of the defences to defamation.
