Universities ‘willfully blind’ to the threat of espionage

Some universities are “wilfully blind” to the threat of espionage and foreign interference and think they don’t need to listen to Australia’s Security Intelligence Organisation, Strategic Analysis Australia Director Michael Shoebridge says.

ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said in an address that individuals in business, academia and the bureaucracy have told him ASIO should “ease up” on its operational responses to avoid upsetting foreign regimes.

“It’s a convenient excuse and I think when they (universities) look themselves in the mirror, they must find that difficult,” Mr Shoebridge told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.

“But an excuse is all they seem to need. That’s why it would be interesting to see one university close one of their Confucius centres.

“They are one of the most egregious examples of this behaviour and yet they are still open.”