Probe into CCP-Linked Election Influence to Expand to Labor, Greens

Voters are being urged not to fall prey to interference when they cast their vote in the federal election.

Voter numbers have increased in the lead-up to the 2025 election. Courtesy of the Australian Electoral Commission

Just days after a video surfaced showing volunteers from the Hubei Association handing out how-to-vote cards for Teal independent Monique Ryan in the Melbourne electorate of Kooyong, new claims have linked the same group to both the Labor Party and the Greens.

The Hubei Association has been accused of links to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s United Work Front Department, a branch tasked with gathering intelligence on and exerting influence abroad.

Hubei Association president Ji Jianmin denied any involvement from the CCP, and said both Labor and the Greens had approached his group seeking campaign volunteers.

Jianmin told The Australian that incumbent the MP for Hotham and Housing Minister Clare O'Neill cancelled the call for helpers after the video of Ryan’s volunteers was released to the public.

He said the Greens requested 10 volunteers, with four of them ultimately handing out flyers for Greens candidate Bill Pheasant in the seat of Menzies.

The volunteer requests were reportedly facilitated by a man who identified himself as a friend of O'Neill through the Hubei Association.

Teal incumbent Ryan said she was unaware that the group who had been supporting her campaign had alleged links to the CCP.

Voters line up at a polling booth in Brisbane, Australia, on May 21, 2022. Dan Peled/Getty Images

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) confirmed to The Epoch Times that allegations of foreign interference and voting messaging were being considered by the Electoral Integrity Assurance Taskforce (EIAT) and updates would be made in due course.

The EIAT is comprised of federal agencies charged with safeguarding the integrity of federal electoral events, such as foreign interference.

The EIAT warns of people wanting to influence how Australians vote, and that this can come from a friend or family member, but also from a candidate, party, or organisation based locally or overseas.

Voters are urged to stop and consider the information given to them during an election, including looking out for words that evoke strong emotions or information that seems to only tell part of a story.

Concerns around the risk of interference from Artificial Intelligence (AI) have also been expressed.

“During an election, people or groups may try to influence the way you vote,” an EIAT statement said.

“You may come across false or misleading information about the voting process.

“AI-generated text, images, video, and audio could be used to try and deceive you about where to vote, how to complete ballot papers, or why the process may not be trustworthy.”

O'Neill and Pheasant were contacted for comment.