Australian news and politics live: Opposition responds to rising espionage threats to AUKUS after ASIO warning
Liberal Senator Jane Hume has called for heightened vigilance in light of the growing intelligence threat around AUKUS, Australia's trilateral defence pact with the US and UK.
It comes after ASIO chief Mike Burgess warned that foreign espionage has reached 'unprecedented levels and sophistication,' with nations showing 'very unhealthy interest in AUKUS.'
'This process (of annual ASIO warnings) is part of the educative response. People in those departments should know this as part of their security clearance training,' Ms Hume told Sunrise on Friday morning.
'AUKUS is such an important strategic agreement. It's got so much potency, power, and potential that foreign actors are trying to access that information any way they can. We should be on heightened alert.
'This speaks to the strength of the agreement and why we should not just embrace it, but strengthen it with both the UK and the US.'
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A second parliamentary showdown will decide who rules the roost in Tasmania after months mired in chaos. Governor Barbara Baker reappointed Jeremy Rockliff as Tasmanian premier in minority government on Wednesday after weeks of political limbo following a snap election. The election was triggered by Mr Rockliff losing a no-confidence vote in early June, with neither his Liberals (14 seats) nor Labor (10) winning the 18 seats required to control the lower house on their own. Mr Rockliff has no formal agreements of support with the 11 elected minor party MPs and independents, but the governor said the incumbent had the right to remain in office to test the numbers. Labor leader Dean Winter seized the initiative, declaring a motion of no-confidence in the Liberals and confidence in Labor would be moved when state parliament resumes on August 19. Any motion moved would not result in another election but confirm a Liberal or Labor government, he said. 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Mr Stansfield said it was unlikely David O'Byrne and fellow independent George Razay would support the motion, based on their previous comments. In that scenario, Labor would need the support of two of the three remaining crossbenchers - independents Kristie Johnston and Peter George and Shooters, Fishers, Farmers MP Carlo Di Falco - to take control. "It's genuinely in the balance," Mr Stansfield said. He said there was a "50-50 chance" Labor formed minority government. "Which is pretty extraordinary given the election result." Election analyst Kevin Bonham compared the situation to Liberal premier Robin Gray losing a no-confidence vote after the 1989 Tasmanian election led to a hung parliament. Dr Bonham said the motion did not appear to set up a pathway for another election, which would be Tasmania's fourth in seven years, but it would not necessarily settle things for the entire four-year term. 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The election was triggered by Mr Rockliff losing a no-confidence vote in early June, with neither his Liberals (14 seats) nor Labor (10) winning the 18 seats required to control the lower house on their own. Mr Rockliff has no formal agreements of support with the 11 elected minor party MPs and independents, but the governor said the incumbent had the right to remain in office to test the numbers. Labor leader Dean Winter seized the initiative, declaring a motion of no-confidence in the Liberals and confidence in Labor would be moved when state parliament resumes on August 19. Any motion moved would not result in another election but confirm a Liberal or Labor government, he said. Mr Winter has staunchly maintained he won't do a deal with the Greens but said he would meet with all independent crossbenchers on Thursday to explain "the way we think this parliament should work". "Whether they're Liberals, Greens, independents we need to speak with every member," he told reporters. Brad Stansfield, who worked on the Liberals' four election victories before the July 19 poll, said the motion would provide a measure of certainty. "If the motion is successful obviously we'll have a Labor-Greens government," the veteran political campaigner and FontCast host told AAP. "And if the motion is unsuccessful, well we'd like to think that we won't be having any talk of a change of Liberal government for at least a period of time. "People are well and truly over the uncertainty." Independent Craig Garland and the Greens have ruled out supporting a Liberal government. Mr Stansfield said it was unlikely David O'Byrne and fellow independent George Razay would support the motion, based on their previous comments. In that scenario, Labor would need the support of two of the three remaining crossbenchers - independents Kristie Johnston and Peter George and Shooters, Fishers, Farmers MP Carlo Di Falco - to take control. "It's genuinely in the balance," Mr Stansfield said. He said there was a "50-50 chance" Labor formed minority government. "Which is pretty extraordinary given the election result." Election analyst Kevin Bonham compared the situation to Liberal premier Robin Gray losing a no-confidence vote after the 1989 Tasmanian election led to a hung parliament. Dr Bonham said the motion did not appear to set up a pathway for another election, which would be Tasmania's fourth in seven years, but it would not necessarily settle things for the entire four-year term. "It is possible that crossbenchers initially vote against this motion because they're still negotiating," the psephologist told AAP. "So you could get a situation where the government does not fall immediately but falls in three months' time." Mr Rockliff and his cabinet will be sworn in early next week. A second parliamentary showdown will decide who rules the roost in Tasmania after months mired in chaos. Governor Barbara Baker reappointed Jeremy Rockliff as Tasmanian premier in minority government on Wednesday after weeks of political limbo following a snap election. The election was triggered by Mr Rockliff losing a no-confidence vote in early June, with neither his Liberals (14 seats) nor Labor (10) winning the 18 seats required to control the lower house on their own. Mr Rockliff has no formal agreements of support with the 11 elected minor party MPs and independents, but the governor said the incumbent had the right to remain in office to test the numbers. Labor leader Dean Winter seized the initiative, declaring a motion of no-confidence in the Liberals and confidence in Labor would be moved when state parliament resumes on August 19. Any motion moved would not result in another election but confirm a Liberal or Labor government, he said. Mr Winter has staunchly maintained he won't do a deal with the Greens but said he would meet with all independent crossbenchers on Thursday to explain "the way we think this parliament should work". "Whether they're Liberals, Greens, independents we need to speak with every member," he told reporters. Brad Stansfield, who worked on the Liberals' four election victories before the July 19 poll, said the motion would provide a measure of certainty. "If the motion is successful obviously we'll have a Labor-Greens government," the veteran political campaigner and FontCast host told AAP. "And if the motion is unsuccessful, well we'd like to think that we won't be having any talk of a change of Liberal government for at least a period of time. "People are well and truly over the uncertainty." Independent Craig Garland and the Greens have ruled out supporting a Liberal government. Mr Stansfield said it was unlikely David O'Byrne and fellow independent George Razay would support the motion, based on their previous comments. In that scenario, Labor would need the support of two of the three remaining crossbenchers - independents Kristie Johnston and Peter George and Shooters, Fishers, Farmers MP Carlo Di Falco - to take control. "It's genuinely in the balance," Mr Stansfield said. He said there was a "50-50 chance" Labor formed minority government. "Which is pretty extraordinary given the election result." Election analyst Kevin Bonham compared the situation to Liberal premier Robin Gray losing a no-confidence vote after the 1989 Tasmanian election led to a hung parliament. Dr Bonham said the motion did not appear to set up a pathway for another election, which would be Tasmania's fourth in seven years, but it would not necessarily settle things for the entire four-year term. "It is possible that crossbenchers initially vote against this motion because they're still negotiating," the psephologist told AAP. "So you could get a situation where the government does not fall immediately but falls in three months' time." Mr Rockliff and his cabinet will be sworn in early next week.
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A second parliamentary showdown will decide who rules the roost in Tasmania after months mired in chaos. Governor Barbara Baker reappointed Jeremy Rockliff as Tasmanian premier in minority government on Wednesday after weeks of political limbo following a snap election. The election was triggered by Mr Rockliff losing a no-confidence vote in early June, with neither his Liberals (14 seats) nor Labor (10) winning the 18 seats required to control the lower house on their own. Mr Rockliff has no formal agreements of support with the 11 elected minor party MPs and independents, but the governor said the incumbent had the right to remain in office to test the numbers. Labor leader Dean Winter seized the initiative, declaring a motion of no-confidence in the Liberals and confidence in Labor would be moved when state parliament resumes on August 19. Any motion moved would not result in another election but confirm a Liberal or Labor government, he said. Mr Winter has staunchly maintained he won't do a deal with the Greens but said he would meet with all independent crossbenchers on Thursday to explain "the way we think this parliament should work". "Whether they're Liberals, Greens, independents we need to speak with every member," he told reporters. Brad Stansfield, who worked on the Liberals' four election victories before the July 19 poll, said the motion would provide a measure of certainty. "If the motion is successful obviously we'll have a Labor-Greens government," the veteran political campaigner and FontCast host told AAP. "And if the motion is unsuccessful, well we'd like to think that we won't be having any talk of a change of Liberal government for at least a period of time. "People are well and truly over the uncertainty." Independent Craig Garland and the Greens have ruled out supporting a Liberal government. Mr Stansfield said it was unlikely David O'Byrne and fellow independent George Razay would support the motion, based on their previous comments. In that scenario, Labor would need the support of two of the three remaining crossbenchers - independents Kristie Johnston and Peter George and Shooters, Fishers, Farmers MP Carlo Di Falco - to take control. "It's genuinely in the balance," Mr Stansfield said. He said there was a "50-50 chance" Labor formed minority government. "Which is pretty extraordinary given the election result." Election analyst Kevin Bonham compared the situation to Liberal premier Robin Gray losing a no-confidence vote after the 1989 Tasmanian election led to a hung parliament. Dr Bonham said the motion did not appear to set up a pathway for another election, which would be Tasmania's fourth in seven years, but it would not necessarily settle things for the entire four-year term. "It is possible that crossbenchers initially vote against this motion because they're still negotiating," the psephologist told AAP. "So you could get a situation where the government does not fall immediately but falls in three months' time." Mr Rockliff and his cabinet will be sworn in early next week.
