China is carrying out ‘blatant’ influence operations in Australia, Malcolm Turnbull says

Former prime minister likens covert operations to famous scene in Casablanca and warns influence register should be more than box ticking'

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Australian security agencies know China is carrying out blatant" influence operations despite the lack of listings on the country's transparency register, the former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has told an inquiry.

Turnbull said on Tuesday he was puzzled" the legislation his government introduced was not more rigorously enforced and that officials should not treat it as a robotic box-ticking exercise".

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