PapaD tweet - I always found it bizarre that Downer was speaking to me about his ties to an obscure intel group named “Hakluyt.” Who was he representing when he spied on me? I think it’s time for Australia to completely throw him under the bus. He has caused enough damage to relations with USA

https://www.news.com.au/world/britain-is-concerned-about-australias-links-to-hakluyt-security-firm-created-by-former-mi6-agents/news-story/5d6a3c7ccbd5cd9992379aeecaa5e3dc

British foreign officials have privately expressed disquiet about Australia’s diplomatic post link to a shadowy security firm that sells intelligence to corporate clients.

Britain’s Foreign Office, that has several of its former diplomats working for Hakluyt and also has oversight of the MI6 spy agency that has many of its former operatives on Hakluyt’s books, has noted the attendances.

“The group operates in the shadows, it’s not exactly open and transparent and so any serving, and that’s the difference, serving diplomat with access to sensitive information and insight associating with the group raises a worry in Whitehall,” one diplomatic source told News Corp Australia.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade declined to answer this newspaper’s seven written questions about the extent of Mr Downer’s dealings with the group but it sprang to his defence.

“Mr Downer has had no commercial relationship with Hakluyt since resigning from its advisory board in May 2014, prior to commencing duty as High Commissioner in London,” a spokeswoman said

“Mr Downer maintains contact with a large number of individuals and firms in the British business community. This is common practice for an Australian High Commissioner in the UK.”
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Sorry phonefagging.