Legislation shows Canberra's pursuit of political capital

It is normal for every nation to want to do everything it can to ensure that its politics are free of any foreign interference and to deter espionage. And under normal circumstances, Australian legislation aimed at preventing political interference by foreign governments, making lobbying transparent and criminalizing espionage, would have nothing to do with China.

Unfortunately and without any justification, since the day it was first proposed, Canberra has pointed to Beijing as the rationale for the new legislation.

Although the legislature has not mentioned China, the new legislation is the outcome of months of China-bashing frenzy whipped up by Australian media and fueled by members of the government, despite Beijing repeatedly denying the accusations leveled against it.