Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has defended his secretive dinner with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Kash Patel in Sydney this week, saying it was a “really good” meeting that was warm and canvassed “wide-ranging” topics.
Patel briefly visited Australia in a personal capacity, after a public visit to New Zealand to open the FBI’s permanent office in Wellington.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
The meeting wasn’t publicly shared by Australian or American officials, and was only revealed following a question from the ABC on Thursday. Burke said there were “security reasons” informing the secrecy of the meeting, which was also attended by Australian Federal Police commissioner Reece Kershaw.
“The meeting was really good … it was a great discussion of different ways in which we keep people safe … co-operation is very real, very strong,” Burke told ABC Radio National.
“It was wide-ranging, warm and reflecting the … strength of co-operation.”
Patel is a controversial figure who once called the Americans jailed for their role in the January 6 Capitol riots “political prisoners”, prompting Greens senator David Shoebridge to call on Burke to offer further detail on the dinner.
FBI Director Kash Patel.Credit: AP
Burke defended the meeting, saying there would “never be a day” when he declines the opportunity to further the national interest and Australian safety.
“Whenever I have the choice, my obligation as home affairs minister is to keep Australia safe, and that’s exactly what our relationship with the US does,” Burke said.