1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: From the news room and years to come to Gooday There. 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: I'm Andrew Bucklow. 3 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 2: Such sad news yesterday about Ozzy Osborne, who passed away 4 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 2: aged seventy six. I loved watching the Osborne's back in 5 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 2: the day. So many celebrities of paid tribute to him. 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 2: You can read them all on news dot Com at 7 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,239 Speaker 2: dot AU. One person who actually met Ozzie years ago 8 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 2: is Amanda from Sugar and Spice Cakes in Adelaide. What 9 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 2: happened when he came into your store? 10 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 3: Well, apart from thinking that I was being robbed, he 11 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 3: came in to order a cake for his wife's birthday. 12 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,599 Speaker 3: Her name was Sharon, and who was having a concert 13 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 3: that night in Adelaide. And yeah, I just thought he 14 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 3: was a homeless guy making things up. But when I 15 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 3: saw the American hundred dollar bills in his wallet, I 16 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 3: considered that it must be real. 17 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: Wow. What was he like in person? 18 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 3: Very hunched over and shaky, but yeah, passionate about wanting 19 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 3: to order a cake for his wife's birthday at his concert. 20 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 3: And I thought he was delusional, but he turned out 21 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 3: it was him. 22 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: Do you remember what kind of cake he got? 23 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,959 Speaker 3: He wanted white, black and red roses. On it. 24 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: Ah, that is sweet, isn't it. How long ago was this? 25 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 3: Oh, this was back in the nineties. He did a 26 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 3: tour of Sebdon Theater. I think it was just him 27 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 3: and yeah, she must have been on tour with him, 28 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 3: and he asked me to deliver it that night to 29 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 3: the Sebdin theater. So I rang my dad and said, 30 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 3: you know, is there a concert going on? And he 31 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 3: was like, this is a real deal. You better do it. 32 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: What a touching story. 33 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 2: I think maybe you should release an Ozzie Osborne cake now, 34 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 2: put that on the menu. Exactly what he got for 35 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 2: Sharon is a bit of a tribute. 36 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 3: I love a good idea. We're run with that. 37 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 2: Well. Apart from all the Ossie tributes, we've also got 38 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 2: a wild story on news dot com dot you right 39 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 2: now about fake Chinese police cars that have been spotted 40 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:43,839 Speaker 2: around Australia. Who is behind them, what are they doing 41 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 2: here and why are authorities so worried about them? 42 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: We're going to find out in just a moment. 43 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 2: Joining me now in the studio is one of our 44 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 2: US team members at news dot com at dot Au, 45 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 2: Harrison Christian diet a mate Andrew. 46 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 4: It's a pleasure to be in here. 47 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: It's very exciting to have you here make your debut 48 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 2: on the front the Newsroom podcast. And I got you 49 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 2: in here because you've written a cracking story. It's about 50 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 2: some fake Chinese police cars that have been spotted around Australia. 51 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 2: Can you begin by just describing what exactly these cars 52 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: look like? 53 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,959 Speaker 4: Well, Andrew, they look like police cars, not Australian police cars, 54 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 4: but they have Chinese characters on them and sometimes even 55 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 4: English writing that designates them as just that Chinese police cars. 56 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 4: And so some members of the public have been confused 57 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 4: and even misled by this, and they're just wondering what's 58 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 4: going on. 59 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: So first of all, are these cars illegal? 60 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 4: Yes, well it depends on the state. But in the 61 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 4: most recent case last week, a Sydney man has been 62 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 4: charged with impersonating police and impersonating emergency services. So the 63 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 4: short answer is yes, you can get in trouble for this. 64 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 2: All right, tell me more about this guy last week 65 00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 2: and tell me where these cars have been spotted around 66 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: the country. 67 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 4: So this guy, this twenty year old man from Sydney. 68 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,080 Speaker 4: Sydney's in a West. His name is Lee Kunyang and 69 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 4: he was allegedly caught driving a fake Chinese police car. 70 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 4: Now it was quite a fancy car. It was a 71 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 4: black Mercedes S Class. It had the Chinese characters for 72 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 4: police written on the bonnet and also the English word 73 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 4: for police, although it was misspelled. It didn't say police, 74 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 4: it said something like pois something like that. And police 75 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 4: also allegedly found ammunition in the boot of the car, 76 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 4: which mister Kunyang allegedly told them he thought it was 77 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 4: the best place him to store those bullets, those live rounds, 78 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 4: was in the boot of the car. He also allegedly 79 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,839 Speaker 4: said that he had permission from the Chinese consulate, and 80 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 4: he produced documents which purported to show that he was 81 00:03:52,600 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 4: using the car to transport Chinese consulate officials. So quite concerning. 82 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: There were they legit those documents? Do we know he 83 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: has been. 84 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 4: Charged with fraud? Fraud is one of the several offenses 85 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 4: he has been charged with, so it seems as though 86 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 4: he may have been making that. 87 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: Up all right. 88 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 2: So that was in Sydney. Where else have these cars 89 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 2: been spotted in Australia. 90 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 4: It's happened a few times over the last few years. 91 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 4: Andrew back in twenty nineteen when there were the pro 92 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 4: Hong Kong democracy protests going on. That was a time 93 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 4: of tension for Chinese Australians and these fake police cars 94 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 4: were actually spotted in Adelaide and Perth, and in the 95 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 4: Perth case, the driver of one of the fake cars 96 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 4: told police that he had designated it as a Chinese 97 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 4: police car as a joke, and then he agreed to 98 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 4: remove the signage. And then another one turned up in 99 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 4: Melbourne in twenty twenty three, so it seems to be 100 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 4: on the rise in recent years. 101 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 2: There's a few theories going around about why these cars 102 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 2: have been popping up around Australia. 103 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: What are they running through them? 104 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 4: Well, no one really knows for sure. People have spoken 105 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 4: to One activist I spoke to said there is really 106 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 4: no way to tie these cars back to the Chinese state. 107 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 4: But whether or not they are related, this does intimidate 108 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:22,040 Speaker 4: Chinese Australians because some of them are whether they're Tibetans 109 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 4: or Wigas, or Hong Kongers or Taiwanese, some of those 110 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 4: people have actually moved to Australia to get away from 111 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 4: the Chinese regime and so when they see these cars, 112 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 4: they feel intimidated and frightened by the presence of what 113 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 4: appeared to be Chinese authorities in Australia. I spoke to 114 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 4: Shadow Minister for Home Affairs Andrew Hasty and he wasn't 115 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 4: able to tie these cars to the state either, but 116 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 4: he said that if they were related to the Chinese 117 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 4: government it would be very concerning. And he pointed out 118 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 4: that foreign interference and espionage and Australia are at extreme 119 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 4: levels at the moment, and he also described China as 120 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 4: the main perpetrator. So those were pretty strong words from Mistasty. 121 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:09,840 Speaker 1: Well. 122 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 2: Speaking of foreign interference, it is something that the head 123 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 2: of Australia Spy Agency ASIO spoke about in his annual 124 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 2: threat assessment earlier this year. Now, he didn't mention any 125 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 2: countries by name, but let's just have a listen to 126 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 2: what Mike Burgers said aspinajen. 127 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 5: Foreign interference are already at extreme levels and we anticipate 128 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 5: they were only intensifying as investigations have identified at least 129 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:35,160 Speaker 5: three different countries plotting to physically harm people in Australia. 130 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 5: In a small number of cases, we held great fears 131 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 5: for the life of the person being targeted. In one operation, 132 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 5: Foreign Intalent Services wanted to silence an Australian based human 133 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 5: rights advocate. The scheme involved tricking the unsuspected activists into 134 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 5: visiting a third country where the plotters would be waiting. 135 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,479 Speaker 5: They planned to arrange an accident that was anything but accidental, 136 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 5: with the objective of seriously injuring or even killing the 137 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 5: active Fortunately, ASIOS intervened early to stop the travel and 138 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 5: foil the plot before it occurred. More recently last year, 139 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 5: in fact, asio's intelligence indicated a different hostile foreign intelligence 140 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 5: service wanted to harm and possibly kill one or more 141 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 5: individuals on Australian soil. Working with our international partners, we 142 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 5: determine this plot as part of a broader effort by 143 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 5: the regime to eliminate critics of the foreign government around 144 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 5: the world. Activists, journalists, ordinary citizens. The regime considered them opponents. 145 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 5: We would call them human rights advocates. Again, Asia disrupted 146 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 5: the Australian part of the operation at an early stage. 147 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 2: Sobering words there from the ASIO boss. Listen, Harrison, stick around, 148 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 2: because you mentioned something else in your piece about secret 149 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 2: Chinese police service stations that have been spotted in Australia. 150 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 2: I'm going to get more details from you about that 151 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 2: in just a moment. Welcome back, Guy, I am chatting 152 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 2: to news dot com. Do you reporter Harrison Christian who's 153 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 2: written this fascinating piece about fake Chinese police cars that 154 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 2: have been spotted around Australia. Harrison, in your piece, you 155 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 2: mentioned that a few years ago it was discovered that 156 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 2: two secret Chinese police service stations had allegedly been set 157 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 2: up in Australia. 158 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: Tell me more about this. That's right, Andrew. 159 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 4: According to a report from Safeguard Defenders, which is an NGO, 160 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 4: this report came out in twenty twenty two and Safeguard 161 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 4: Defenders actually said that they had found two secret Chinese 162 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 4: police stations operating in Australia. Now one of them they 163 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 4: identified as being in Sydney, and they weren't able to 164 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 4: confirm the exact location of the other. 165 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: What exactly were these things used for? Do we know? Well? 166 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 4: According to Safeguard Defenders, mostly these secret stations were engaged 167 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 4: in administration sort of tasks supporting members of the Chinese 168 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 4: diaspora here in Australia. But they had also found instances 169 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:03,839 Speaker 4: where they had acted on behalf of Chinese police in 170 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 4: China to threaten intimidate and harass Chinese Australians and even 171 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 4: pressure them to return to China to face persecution for 172 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 4: crimes that they were alleged to have committed. 173 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: Bloody hell, that's pretty full on. 174 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 2: Last question, if people do spot one of these fake 175 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 2: Chinese police cars on the streets, what should they do anything? 176 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 4: You should contact your local police station because it is 177 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 4: a crime to impersonate the police. And yeah, this issue 178 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 4: just doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon, and 179 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 4: it's still unclear whether the Chinese government has anything to 180 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 4: do with this or it's just over eager supporters of 181 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 4: the Chinese authorities for whatever reason, it would be good 182 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 4: to get to the bottom of it. 183 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: Absolutely listen. 184 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 2: If you are as fascinated by this topic as me, 185 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 2: go to neews dot com dot au look up Harrison 186 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 2: Christian's article. You've got to see the photos of these 187 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 2: fake Chinese police cars. It is wild to me. Thank 188 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 2: you so much for jumping on the podcast, Thanks for 189 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 2: having me, and we will chat to you again tomorrow. 190 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: Follow us, subscribe to from the newsroom wherever you get 191 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:08,839 Speaker 1: your podcasts.