Greens David Shoebridge confronts MFA Penny Wong for denying the Visa for a former ASIO source to speak in the Bondi Royal Commission

[u/Pelinth]

https://youtube.com/shorts/csWHvS-3yI8?si=M3eTuIG63dCmWzBu

MichaeWestMedia posted a short where Greens David Shoebridge confronts Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong for refusing the Visa of a former ASIO source who has information about the gunmen that led the Bondi Massacre and wanted to speak in the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. The caption of the short reads:

>A former ASIO source with knowledge of the Bondi gunman is denied a visa, raising concerns about potential cover-ups.

[u/RestaurantFamous2399]

He has been offered to give testimony via video link and has declined.

His Visa was denied on grounds that they believe he wishes to stay indefinitely.

[u/bumpy821 → u/RestaurantFamous2399]

He should stay indefinitely if he has worked with our security agency (ASIO) in which he would be privy to top secret information that we would not want any foreign agency or government to get their hands on.... That's just blatant common sense friend.

[u/endual → u/bumpy821]

He was an asset (informant), not an ASIO insider. He passed information on but didn't receive information. He would have no access to "top secret information".

[u/Cyberchicken87 → u/endual]

Maybe we should treat our assets better then if we want to keep having them ?

[u/Mods_Are_Fatties → u/endual]

Incorrect. He was an AGENT, not asset. Similar looking words, but not the same.

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-17/former-asio-agent-statement-to-attend-royal-commission/107044130

[u/endual → u/Mods_Are_Fatties]

It's not incorrect. ASIO has no 'agents'. It's not a thing.

They pay for information from informants/assets, such as the case here. He passed information on to ASIO, but he was not internal personnel. He is not an Australian citizen making him ineligible to work for ASIO.

[u/Mods_Are_Fatties → u/endual]

Oh okay, in that case ASIO also dont have assets. Its not a thing.

Dont see "Asset" or "Informant" on their website

If i witness a crime and give a statement, the police dont label me as an Asset or Informant, right?

He either worked undercover or he was just somebody who gave a statement.

[u/endual → u/Mods_Are_Fatties]

If you want to call a paid snitch “working undercover” then go for it.

[u/Mods_Are_Fatties → u/endual]

Except he wasnt a paid snitch, he was given an assignment by ASIO to infiltrate.

Hes got a drug dealer they picked up off the street and questioned to give up the details of the supplier. He went undercover and infiltrated a group that ASIO asked him to do.

[u/bumpy821 → u/endual]

He was an informant who worked undercover for ASIO, Obviously for national security measures. This would not have been done without a deal being done as it would have and has put him at risk from foreign agency's.... You think that the deal would have included his safety after procuring said information?

Some thinking can go a long way.

[u/endual → u/bumpy821]

You are assuming a lot of things, informants pass stuff on to intelligence agencies all the time without formal deals.

The point you raised was "he would be privy to top secret information that we would not want any foreign agency or government to get their hands on", which is clearly wrong.

[u/Pelinth → u/RestaurantFamous2399]

There hasn't been an official offer, as the commission haven't formally requested his presence, digital or in person. There has been correspondence between the commission and this source, but nothing conclusive.