Tale of the Scorpion

Description

Harvey Barnett was Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) during the dramatic expulsion in 1983 of KGB spy Valeriy lvanov whose involvement with Canberra lobbyist David Combe led to a Royal Commission. The second Hope Royal Commission ran for eighteen months, bringing ASIO and its role to the forefront of public discussion and raising many basic questions about Australia’s intelligence services, including how sensible controls can be effected. how rights of individual citizens can be preserved, and whether Australia is a target for international espionage, terrorism and political violence. Harvey Barnett addresses these questions and looks at the philosophy behind intelligence operations and whether Australia needs a security service. He discusses agents of influence, espionage activity in Australia, the staff of ASIO and the work of an intelligence officer. He also tells the inside story of the events and people involved in the lvanov Combe affair and discusses its likely long-term effects.