August 14, 2012
Richard Baker and Nick McKenzie
AUSTRALIA'S overseas trade agency has sought an independent review of security after a top official had a secret affair with a Vietnamese spy colonel accused of receiving up to $20 million in suspected bribes from a Reserve Bank subsidiary.
Elizabeth Masamune
The office of Trade Minister Craig Emerson last night confirmed a full security review at Austrade after The Age yesterday revealed former trade commissioner Elizabeth Masamune had an affair with the foreign intelligence officer and failed to disclose it to Australian security agencies.
A spokesman for Mr Emerson said Ms Masamune's top-secret security clearance was under review.
The Age can reveal that despite the security concerns regarding Ms Masamune, Austrade appointed her on Friday to the senior executive position as general manager of Australian operations.
Despite senior Austrade officials having known for several months about her relationship with Colonel Anh Ngoc Luong - a senior official in Vietnam's state intelligence service - Mr Emerson was only told by Austrade of the relationship and the potential security implications on Friday.
During the affair Ms Masamune was Australia's senior trade commissioner in Vietnam and had a top-secret security clearance.
Austrade suggested RBA company Securency hire Colonel Luong in 2001 as an agent to help win plastic-banknote contracts from Vietnam's central bank. Federal police allege he may have received up to $20 million in bribes from Securency.
Ms Masamune, who has declined to comment, is believed to have encouraged Securency executives to pay significant sums to Colonel Luong.
Asked if the affair had compromised national security, Mr Emerson's spokesman said: ''There are ongoing court proceedings and consideration of Ms Masamune's security status, so it would not be appropriate for the minister to make any pre-emptive comment.
''The present CEO of Austrade … has worked with the minister on a full review of Austrade, which is now being implemented … additionally, the CEO of Austrade sought an independent review of security in Austrade in 2012, and the recommendations are being implemented.''
Federal police have questioned at least five Austrade officials, including Ms Masamune, about the bribery investigation involving Securency and sister firm Note Printing Australia. No Austrade official has been charged.
Mr Emerson's spokesman said the government would consider a full inquiry into Austrade's role in the RBA bribery scandal if federal police believed trade officials had acted corruptly. ''The minister has been repeatedly advised that there has been no suggestion to date by any investigating agency of Austrade officials being involved in bribery or corruption in relation to the investigation into Securency and Note Printing Australia,'' he said.
Last night, Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop called for a review of all other transactions in Vietnam involving Australian companies, Colonel Luong and Austrade.
The Age believes other prominent Australian companies used or considered using Colonel Luong as their agent to help win contracts in Vietnam.
Internal Austrade documents show Colonel Luong was known as a ranking officer in Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security as early as 1998. But Austrade suggested Securency use him as a paid agent even though its officials knew it was a criminal offence for Australian companies to pay foreign officials to obtain a business advantage.
Austrade helped Securency and NPA seek business in 49 countries. where police allege they were involved in multimillion-dollar corruption.
In 2004, Austrade gave Colonel Luong and Securency an award in recognition of their winning contracts worth more than $100 million from Vietnam's central bank.
Committal hearings for eight former Securency and NPA executives charged with bribery offences begin this week.
Follow the National Times on Twitter
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/security-probe-in-spy-sex-scandal-20120813-24509.html#ixzz23TnvXMeo
___________
What do you think ?
hình tên việt cộng giòi bọ bẩn thỉu lương ngọc anh, là một trong những phần tử của cái đảng KÝ SINH TRÙNG chuyên sống trên xương máu của dân Việt , TỘI ĐỒ truyền kiếp của dân tộc Việt là đảng cộng sản Việt Nam . (*)
(*) ghi chú của conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
14082012
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là đồng lõa với TỘI ÁC
No comments:
Post a Comment