Russia has been identified as one of the main countries attempting to interfere in Australia's democracy, with intelligence agencies monitoring continuing efforts by Moscow to influence politics here.
A current intelligence source and a government source have confirmed the country's domestic spy agency, ASIO, has recently investigated at least one major effort to back pro-Russian figures for an unspecified Australian political contest.
Most details of the conspiracy remain hidden, but the ABC has confirmed it involved an individual based in Australia with close links to President Vladmir Putin's regime.
Over recent years, politicians have become increasingly wary of Chinese efforts to infiltrate political parties, but members of the national security community say Russian plots are also in sharp focus.
A senior intelligence figure says many countries attempt to conduct interference operations in Australia, but China and Russia remain the two most prominent players.
"The point of difference between Russia and China is that Russia is an opportunistic interferer in elections anywhere in the Western world but, particularly, focusing on Five-Eyes [an intelligence-sharing network that includes Australia] and EU destabilisation".
"On the other hand, China's strategy is a continuous and perpetual probing to find vulnerabilities and occupy positions of influence in political, social, educational and commercial institutions."
Russia's embassy in Canberra has declined to comment on suggestions that Moscow-backed agents are active in Australia, saying it doesn't talk about "hearsay".
During a major speech on Wednesday night, the Director-General of ASIO, Mike Burgess, confirmed that espionage and foreign interference had supplanted terrorism as his organisation's principal security concern.
"Attempts at political interference are not confined to one side of politics, and you'd be surprised by the range of countries involved," Mr Burgess said.
"We are seeing attempts at foreign interference at all levels of government, in all states and territories."
Delivering his annual threat assessment, Mr Burgess also revealed a "wealthy individual with direct and deep connections with a foreign government", who he dubbed the "puppeteer", covertly sought to "undermine Australia's sovereignty".
Giving few details, and refusing to identify the country involved, Mr Burgess confirmed the "puppeteer pulled the strings" while "the foreign government called the shots".
Initially, the ABC cited intelligence sources who said the likely "puppeteer" behind the conspiracy was a Russian figure, although it has now been confirmed the culprit was, in fact, working for the Chinese government.
The plot orchestrated by Beijing attempted to bankroll NSW Labor candidates in this year's federal election but was foiled by ASIO.
Editor's note February 11, 2022: An earlier version of this story stated the mystery "puppeteer" caught in a recent ASIO operation was a wealthy figure in Australia linked to Russian spy agencies. This is incorrect. The ABC has since confirmed that the "puppeteer" was a business figure in Australia with deep ties to China. The Russian figure was linked to a different ASIO operation. The ABC has rewritten the story to reflect this.
