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FOR PRESS 24 MAY 1977
ALLEGATIONS OF C. I. A. ACTIVITY IN AUSTRALIA
We have seen over the last four weeks efforts to expose some
of Australia's most closely held secrets and to publicise
allegations based on hearsay or worse, to the embarrassment
of Australla's relations with the United States our closest ally.
Accordingly, I believe it is important that I make a statement on
these matters and attempt to put them in a proper perspective.
Any public dicussion which disregards Australia's interest is of
serious concern to the Government. Those who are opposed to
our alliance with the United States have naturally sought to
exploit this issue for their own purposes.
The situation I have described has been precipitated by the
allegations of one Christopher Boyce, a twenty-three year old
communications clerk, who was on trial in California and has
since been convicted of selling United States secrets to the
Soviet Union. His allegations about C. I. A. activities in
Australia were an attempt to rationalise his crimes.
The Government has examined relevant p~ arts of the transcript
of the Boyce trial which in fact add little or nothing to the
allegations which have already appeared in the media. I shall
arrange for a copy of this transcript to be placed in the
Parliamentary Library for the information of honourable members.
We have since seen some former members of the C. I. A. making,
for their own motives, hearsay allegations, some of which would
appear to come within the ambit of what is known as " disinformation
or the attempt to gain political ends through false and misleading
information. it has been the Government's longstanding policy to avoid comment
on matters involving intelligence and security. There are good
reasons for this policy in that the mere act of denying
specific allegations can often provide important leads , and be
damaging to our and our allies' national security. I do not
therefore intend to deal with specific allegations which have
been made. -Ij TR ALI AL
2.
As part of our defence relationship with the United
States, there have grown up extensive arrangements for
exchanging information and views with a wide range of U. S.
Government agencies including those in the intelligence and
security field. Under these arrangements officers from
U. S. agencies are declared to the A~ istralian authorities and
work with various Australian agencies. Of course, Ministers
with relevant responsibilities know who they are.
Australian officers are engaged in similar declared capacities
in Washington. These arrangements are long standing and have been
and still are, of great value to Australia. They are an important
aspect of the close and intimate relationship which we have with
the United States. Through these arrangements we have access
to and exchange valuable information with the United States
on a wide range of international strategic developments as
well as security and intelligence matters such as espionage
and international terrorism to name two examples which
contribute in the broadest terms to the protection of Australia
and the Australian community.
There is also a long established convention that close allies
do not conduct covert activities within each other's territories.
Such activirties are not necessary between friends. In this
connection I wish to reassure the nation that I have carefully
reviewed the activities of the United States Government in
Australia and have found them to be fully consistent with the
interests and policies of the Australian Government and people.
I am satisfied with the assurances I have received from elements
of my own. Government and from President Carter personally through
his Ambassador, that neither the United States Government
not its representatives are involved in improper or
inappropriate activities here. Our joint activities with them
are important to the national security of both countries.
Furthermore, we are most happy with the results we are obtaining
from these activities.
I appreciate that some honourable gentlemen opposite enjoy
deceiving themselves with conspiracy theories, and would like to
believe that it was the C. I. A. rather than the Australian
electorate which put them out. of office. Such views are, however,
not merely politically self-serving, but naive.
They will also be aware that, in recent times, the activities
of the unlike most other foreign intelligence services,
have been kept under close scrutiny by the United States Congress;
and that allegations of improper activity will be investigated
as a matter of routine by the Congress.
The Leader of the Opposition has called for a Royal Commission
into the allegations which have been made. I believe that such
an inquiry is totally unnecessary. I note that the Leader,
when Prime Minister, sought and was advised of the names of
representatives of United States intelligence agencies then in
Australia. He was apparently then satisfied with the information
he received because after detailed inquiry he took no further action
in relation to it. / 3
3.
The Royal Commissioner on Security and Intelligence, Mr
Justice Hope, who was appointed by the Leader of the Opposition
in August 1974, has recently completed a most extensive series
of investigations and reports on all, aspects of Australian
intelligence and security. His investigations included the
activities of foreign intelligence services in Australia.
There isnothing in the Royal Commissoner's reports which give
any substance to the allegati ons relating to C. I. A. activity
which have occupied so mu ch attention over the last four weeks.
Mr Justice Hope has made recommendations to incr-ease the
effectiveness of our internal security arrangements. These concern
the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation in particular
and are aimed at ensuring that it will be better equipped in the
future to meet its responsibilities for investigating and
providing intelligence about threats to the internal security
of the nation. Mr Justice Hope's recommendations have already
been the subject of detailed study and I shall be making a
statement to the House after my return from the Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting in London about the Government's decisions.
As I have Already said in this House, I look to the Australian
Security Intelligence Organisation to provide timely advice on
all matters which might affect the security of this country,
including improper activities by any foreign intelligence
service in Australia.
It i s my belief that the Director-General of Mr Justice
Woodward, carries out this responsibility creditably and faithfully.
Similarly, the Leader of the Opposition, whose Government appointed
Mr Justice 1Woodward, has recently re-affirmed in the House his
confidence in the Director-General.
Improper activities by the representatives in Australia of any
foreign government have in the past arid would in the future
be regarded just as seriously by my Government as they have
been by previous Australian Governments. 0) 00000000