'Australia won't cop anyone interfering in our political system': PM
Allegations of foreign interference by the Chinese government have been met by a strong rebuke by Australia's Prime Minister.
“We won’t cop anyone coming and seeking to interfere in our political system,” Scott Morrison said.
"The threats in this area are real, the need to take action is necessary and the government is absolutely determined to ensure that nobody interferes with Australia's activities."
The Australian Federal Police raided the home of New South Wales Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane on Friday as part of an ongoing investigation headed by counter-espionage agency ASIO.
It was later revealed the AFP also raided the home and Sydney business of a part-time staffer to Mr Moselmane, John Zhang.
The raids come after Mr Moselmane found himself in hot water over a series of controversial comments relating to China, including praising the regime’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.
“The Chinese government should be defended for the immediate action that it took… because it was contained so much in China, that meant that the rest of the world had not been affected,” he said in a video leaked to the media.
Following these comments, Mr Moselmane resigned as assistant president of the NSW Upper House.
NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay refused to defend the MP, saying “he will no longer sit in the caucus, he will no longer be a Labor Party member”.
NSW Police Minister David Elliott called for further action, saying the party leader should sack Mr Moselmane and have him removed from Parliament.