Extract from The Guardian
Australian federal police have raided the parliamentary offices of Labor MP Stephen Conroy in Melbourne.
Guardian Australia understands the AFP operation related to an alleged unauthorised disclosure of information about the National Broadband Network.
AFP officers entered a house on Allan Street in Brunswick shortly after 10.30pm. At least five plain clothes officers, in two separate cars, had been waiting in the street since 8pm. They knocked on the door within moments of four people, presumed to include the resident of the house, arriving at the property.
By 11.30pm, 10 police officers, many pulling document suitcases, had entered the house. Two officers strung a sheet across an uncovered front window after television cameras captured them apparently conducting a search in that room.
Seven of the officers emerged from cars that had been parked on the street for several hours. Both AFP officers and residents of the house have so far declined to comment.
It is understood another Melbourne office was raided in connection with a staffer of Labor’s communications spokesman, Jason Clare.
Fairfax Media has reported that up to 20 NBN Co employees are understood to have been interviewed by the AFP over the alleged leak.
The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, said the raids were an “an extraordinary development” and relate to the time when the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, was communications minister.
The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said the raids that occurred were ‘unprecedented’.
“We have never witnessed such an extraordinary action during a federal election campaign,” he said in a statement.
He said he understood two ALP staffers were named in warrants relating to the matter.
“What we also know is that there have been other serious leaks out of government – including relating to national security, defence and the federal budget – and none of them have resulted in federal police raids.”
The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, told reporters on Thursday evening it was a matter for the AFP.
Labor frontbencher Tony Burke told ABC’s 7.30 program that there were allegations “floating around” about documents being leaked from NBN Co before the raids.
“There’s no doubt the leaks that came from the NBN caused immense damage, immense damage to Malcolm Turnbull when they showed the cost blowout of the NBN, the fact it was slower and going to be delayed,” Burke said.
“The thing that I also know with this is during the life of this parliament, on 23 different occasions we’ve asked about leaks from all parts of this government, right through to the National Security Committee of cabinet.
“The night before the budget government staffers were handing out cabinet-in-confidence documents around the press gallery. I know how many of those inquiries have resulted in police raids. I don’t know how many times they’ve been referred to the AFP.”
In a Lateline interview with Tony Jones, Dreyfus responded to speculation that the AFP’s actions could be politically motivated.
“All Australians are right to be concerned about the appearance of a raid being conducted on a Labor senator’s office and on the – potentially on the homes of Labor staffers in the second week of a campaign and because of the subject matter of these raids,” he said.
“They appear to concern – and I don’t have a great deal of information – they appear to concern documents that will reveal what an unmitigated disaster the NBN was under the custodianship of now prime minister but then communications minister Malcolm Turnbull.”
The AFP released a statement on Tuesday night confirming it was “conducting operational activity in Melbourne” but that it was “not appropriate to comment any further at this stage”.
An NBN Co spokesperson confirmed the company was “assisting the AFP with an ongoing investigation” but also refused to comment any further.
Guardian Australia understands the AFP operation related to an alleged unauthorised disclosure of information about the National Broadband Network.
AFP officers entered a house on Allan Street in Brunswick shortly after 10.30pm. At least five plain clothes officers, in two separate cars, had been waiting in the street since 8pm. They knocked on the door within moments of four people, presumed to include the resident of the house, arriving at the property.
By 11.30pm, 10 police officers, many pulling document suitcases, had entered the house. Two officers strung a sheet across an uncovered front window after television cameras captured them apparently conducting a search in that room.
Seven of the officers emerged from cars that had been parked on the street for several hours. Both AFP officers and residents of the house have so far declined to comment.
It is understood another Melbourne office was raided in connection with a staffer of Labor’s communications spokesman, Jason Clare.
Fairfax Media has reported that up to 20 NBN Co employees are understood to have been interviewed by the AFP over the alleged leak.
The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, said the raids were an “an extraordinary development” and relate to the time when the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, was communications minister.
The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said the raids that occurred were ‘unprecedented’.
“We have never witnessed such an extraordinary action during a federal election campaign,” he said in a statement.
He said he understood two ALP staffers were named in warrants relating to the matter.
“What we also know is that there have been other serious leaks out of government – including relating to national security, defence and the federal budget – and none of them have resulted in federal police raids.”
The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, told reporters on Thursday evening it was a matter for the AFP.
Labor frontbencher Tony Burke told ABC’s 7.30 program that there were allegations “floating around” about documents being leaked from NBN Co before the raids.
“There’s no doubt the leaks that came from the NBN caused immense damage, immense damage to Malcolm Turnbull when they showed the cost blowout of the NBN, the fact it was slower and going to be delayed,” Burke said.
“The thing that I also know with this is during the life of this parliament, on 23 different occasions we’ve asked about leaks from all parts of this government, right through to the National Security Committee of cabinet.
“The night before the budget government staffers were handing out cabinet-in-confidence documents around the press gallery. I know how many of those inquiries have resulted in police raids. I don’t know how many times they’ve been referred to the AFP.”
In a Lateline interview with Tony Jones, Dreyfus responded to speculation that the AFP’s actions could be politically motivated.
“All Australians are right to be concerned about the appearance of a raid being conducted on a Labor senator’s office and on the – potentially on the homes of Labor staffers in the second week of a campaign and because of the subject matter of these raids,” he said.
“They appear to concern – and I don’t have a great deal of information – they appear to concern documents that will reveal what an unmitigated disaster the NBN was under the custodianship of now prime minister but then communications minister Malcolm Turnbull.”
The AFP released a statement on Tuesday night confirming it was “conducting operational activity in Melbourne” but that it was “not appropriate to comment any further at this stage”.
An NBN Co spokesperson confirmed the company was “assisting the AFP with an ongoing investigation” but also refused to comment any further.
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