CANBERRA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Australia's parliament has passed strict new foreign interference rules that place more stringent controls on former politicians lobbying on behalf of overseas interests, and those seeking to disrupt the country's democracy.
The new laws strengthen foreign espionage offences and require people working for foreign companies and governments to declare their activities.
Due to their close access to Australia's political and business elite, former government cabinet ministers, other politicians and their staff members, and public servants will now be subject to more severe reporting responsibilities.
The Labor Party opposition supported the bills, allowing them to be rushed through the Senate on Thursday, though it is critical of the many amendments demanded by the parliament's intelligence and security committee.
During debate in the upper house of Australia's bicameral parliament, Labor senator Penny Wong said "This legislation... declares that this Parliament will not allow interference in our elections or in our democratic processes."
"We will not allow these to be subject to foreign interference, and we will not allow the covert subversion of our politics by foreign interests. That objective should be an objective held across this parliament," Wong said.
Amendments to the original proposal had been made to exempt charities and arts bodies from being subject to the laws.
The Greens party said it supported having safeguards against malicious foreign interference but the party's legal spokesman Nick McKim argued the legislation was draconian and would unfairly target lawful dissent.
Attorney-General Christian Porter wanted the legislation debated and passed before voters in four states went to the polls in mid-term by-elections for the federal parliament in late July.
