Leigh, all countries, all governments gather information. That's hardly a surprise. It's hardly a shock. We use the information that we gather for good: Tony Abbott 13 November 2013
The snapshot below shows one face of the Australian intelligence gathering situation in Indonesia in 2009. However, it is likely little has changed given Prime Minister Tony Abbott has classified Australian Government spying as information gathering used for good and, repeated a similar claim in Parliament on 18 November 2013.
Indonesia is less than happy with the fact that our intelligence services spied on the president, his wife and a number of high-ranking politicians.
According to the Jakarta Globe on 18 November: “We are not satisfied with the dismissive explanations from Australia,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said at a press conference on Monday. “We are recalling our ambassador from Australia for consultation.”
This has been an impressive political performance by Prime Minister Abbott and Foreign Minister Bishop - it took them a mere 61 days after assuming office to reduce Australia's relationship with Indonesia to its lowest point since 1998-99.
There is a hint that a number of 'don't quote me but' briefings to journalists are occurring in an effort to create a political back story which will shore up the case for the 2009 spying episode.
According to the Jakarta Globe on 18 November: “We are not satisfied with the dismissive explanations from Australia,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said at a press conference on Monday. “We are recalling our ambassador from Australia for consultation.”
This has been an impressive political performance by Prime Minister Abbott and Foreign Minister Bishop - it took them a mere 61 days after assuming office to reduce Australia's relationship with Indonesia to its lowest point since 1998-99.
There is a hint that a number of 'don't quote me but' briefings to journalists are occurring in an effort to create a political back story which will shore up the case for the 2009 spying episode.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/nov/18/slides-australian-yudhoyono-phone-indonesia?CMP=twt_gu
The Guardian 18 November 2013:
Australia's spy agencies have attempted to listen in on the personal phone calls of the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and have targeted the mobile phones of his wife, senior ministers and confidants, a top secret document from whistleblower Edward Snowden reveals.
The document, dated November 2009, names the president and nine of his inner circle as targets of the surveillance, including the vice-president, Boediono, who last week visited Australia. Other named targets include ministers from the time who are now possible candidates in next year's Indonesian presidential election, and the first lady, Kristiani Herawati, better known as Ani Yudhoyono.
When a separate document from Snowden, a former contractor to the US's National Security Agency (NSA), showed Australia had spied on Indonesia and other countries from its embassies, the Indonesian foreign minister, Marty Natalegawa, reacted angrily and threatened to review co-operation on issues crucial to Australia such as people smuggling and terrorism.
The revelation strained a bilateral relationship already under pressure over the Abbott government's policy to “turn back” boats of asylum seekers coming to Australia. The new leak, published jointly by Guardian Australia and the ABC, reveals the specific top-level targets and is likely to seriously escalate those tensions......
1 comment:
61 days to do over Indonesia.
And still the Australian public sit back.
Perhaps when CSG gas comes through their water pipes, The Great Artesian Basin and the Great Barrier Reef are poisoned ..... then they will sit up and tell "Slick" Abbott to get out.
Post a Comment