2019 Australian Parliament infiltration plot

In late 2019, various media outlets around the world reported on alleged efforts by the People's Republic of China to infiltrate the Parliament of Australia by recruiting a spy to run in the Division of Chisholm in Melbourne during the 2019 Australian federal election.

[7] The target of the plot was reported to be Bo "Nick" Zhao, who once owned a number of car dealerships and lived in Glen Iris with a wife and daughter.

[6] Two of Zhao's former business associates described him as an ambitious man who got ahead of himself and wanted to make money quick.

[1] In September 2020, a coroner in Victoria ruled that Zhao died of suicide, having apparently overdosed on medication while under intense financial pressure.

[6] Sources familiar with Zhao's activities, however, describe him as a low-profile member of the local Liberal Party branch.

[7] Some media reports identified the person who approached Zhao as Melbourne businessperson Brian Chen Chunsheng.

[19] ASIO's Director-General, Mike Burgess, refused to comment on the matter in depth due to "long-standing practice", but did say the agency was previously aware of the incident, and there is an active investigation underway.

[20] It was noted that Zhao's legal and financial troubles would have made it almost impossible for him to be selected by the Liberals as a candidate, let alone win the election.

[21] Australian Strategic Policy Institute analyst Alex Joske said it may be possible that any approach made on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party was not to target a particular election, but as part of a long-term strategy.