a day ago
Leaked emails reveal jaw-dropping campaign to get an Aussie CEO FIRED - after he levelled an explosive claim about the Australia-China Relations Institute on social media
Leaked emails show how the head of a China-focused thinktank tried to have a cybersecurity expert sacked, after he repeatedly highlighted how the institution received funding from Chinese Communist Party-owned businesses.
Robert Potter, an Australian who runs his own multinational cybersecurity firm, has repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI) receives funding from two Chinese state-owned companies.
ACRI, based at the University of Technology, Sydney, is partially-funded by the China Construction Bank and John Holland, both state-owned Chinese enterprises.
The institute seeks to study the relationship between China and Australia and was established following a $1.8million donation from Chinese billionaire Xiangmo Huang in 2013.
In 2019, Mr Huang had his visa torn up and was banned from re-entering Australia after ASIO accused him of being 'amenable to conducting acts of foreign interference', which he denied.
Mr Potter claims he wrote to ACRI's director, Professor James Laurenceson, to outline his concerns about ACRI's ongoing funding arrangements and its alleged lack of disclosure in media reports.
However, Mr Potter claims his email fell on deaf ears, so he has voiced his concerns publicly on X on several occasions over the past few years.
Last month, for example, Mr Potter highlighted ACRI's funding arrangements when sharing an opinion piece Prof Laurenceson wrote about how Australia's strengthening economic relationship with China could deliver more security.
'James never disclosed that he's (allegedly) literally payed by China (sic),' Mr Potter alleged.
'His institution is funded by donations from two state owned firm(s). The founding donation for his center came from a guy expelled for foreign influence.'
While ACRI receives funding from two Chinese-state owned businesses, Mr Laurenceson himself is paid by UTS. He does not receive any external funding and it is not suggested otherwise.
ACRI's website also states: 'Industry partners do not provide strategic direction nor do they shape or influence UTS:ACRI's academic activities. UTS:ACRI has a fully independent, academically rigorous and transparent research agenda.'
In response to these repeated public statements, Mr Laurenceson wrote to the Australia National University (ANU), where Mr Potter holds an honorary appointment as a visiting fellow at the Centre for European Studies, to complain about his behaviour.
When he failed to receive a response, Mr Laurenceson sent a follow-up email expressing his frustration that the matter had not been dealt with and that Mr Potter was still employed by the institution.
'I was surprised not to receive a response given Mr Potter's behaviour and had hoped for this to be resolved at a centre level,' he wrote.
'If this is not possible, however, I will pursue other avenues.'
After being fobbed off by ANU, Mr Laurenceson sent another email on July 23 - a day after Mr Potter's latest public comments - to reiterate his complaint.
'Mr Potter appears to remain affiliated with your centre,' Mr Laurenceson wrote.
'He also continues to direct abuse at me, claiming that I am 'literally paid by China'.'
'In the absence of any communication and resolution, I can only assume that his behaviour is deemed tolerable.'
The Daily Mail approached Mr Laurenceson for comment.
A spokesperson for UTS insisted that ACRI has 'stringent guidelines to preserve the independence of its research and commentary'.
'Like most institutes, it is funded by a range of sources which have no influence or impact on its work; these are publicly disclosed and include both Australian and Chinese industry partners,' the spokesperson added.
'A number of sustained, unfounded and personal allegations have been made by one individual about Professor Laurenceson over a prolonged period of time.
'As these have been made from a staff member at ANU using his university credentials, Professor Laurenceson has brought these to the attention of ANU to take whatever action they deem appropriate.
'UTS:ACRI director Professor James Laurenceson is a widely regarded, well respected academic. He is paid by the university and is not the recipient of external funding by any external organisations.'
The Daily Mail does not suggest Prof Laurenceson has been engaged in any acts of foreign influence whatsoever, only that he has faced calls to be more transparent about ACRI's funding arrangements in media articles he has written.
Mr Potter argues that Prof Laurenceson should disclose ACRI's funding arrangements when he writes articles for publications such as the Australian Financial Review, The Australian or when he appears on ABC programs.
Prof Laurenceson, a lifelong academic who has held posts at universities in China and Japan, has written hundreds of articles and academic papers about Australia's relationship with China over the last 15 years.
Titles include: 'Don't be scared, China's plan is good for Australia'; 'Australia's great, untapped resource … Chinese investment'; 'Why all the worry about China?'; 'Why we shouldn't be so worried about China buying the farm' and 'By standing up to China, Australia may end up standing alone'.
Mr Potter, who co-founded cybersecurity firm Internet 2.0 and the Cyber Activities Group, has spent the past few years training Ukrainian soldiers in how to ward off potential cyber attacks from Russian hackers.
