Australia PM Morrison loses control of WeChat Chinese account as election looms | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Thursday
July 24, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2025
Australia PM Morrison loses control of WeChat Chinese account as election looms

World+Biz

Reuters
24 January, 2022, 11:50 am
Last modified: 24 January, 2022, 11:56 am

Related News

  • Australia will not commit troops in advance to any conflict: Pat Conroy
  • Australia's Albanese confirms China visit as Beijing eyes trade deal review
  • Australia to support free and fair elections in Bangladesh: Amir Khasru
  • Australia says US missile purchase shows commitment to defence spending
  • Australia regulator and YouTube spar over under-16s social media ban

Australia PM Morrison loses control of WeChat Chinese account as election looms

Featuring Morrison's photograph, it originally promoted major announcements on the economy or the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, translated into Chinese

Reuters
24 January, 2022, 11:50 am
Last modified: 24 January, 2022, 11:56 am
A view of the "Australia China New Life" WeChat account, formerly Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's official account, with the first article dated from July 9, 2021, is seen in this screen grab obtained from social media on January 24, 2022. Photo :Reuters
A view of the "Australia China New Life" WeChat account, formerly Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's official account, with the first article dated from July 9, 2021, is seen in this screen grab obtained from social media on January 24, 2022. Photo :Reuters

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Liberal Party lost access to his official WeChat social media account months ago, politicians said on Monday, issuing claims of censorship, while the still-active account being run by a new Chinese controller now promotes Chinese life in Australia.

Amid growing diplomatic tensions with China, Australia's two major political parties have used the social media platform, owned by Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings Ltd, to communicate with Australian voters of Chinese ethnicity in tightly fought electorates since 2019.

With a national election due by May, the government would have aimed to use the Morrison account to promote its policies during the Chinese New Year celebrations starting Feb. 1. The prime minister's office has made multiple fruitless requests to WeChat to regain access to the account, most recently on Jan. 10, said a person with knowledge of the matter, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Tencent didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Both the Liberals and the main opposition Labor Party set up official WeChat accounts for their leaders through outsourced agencies. The Scott Morrison account was registered in 2019 using the name of a Chinese citizen in mainland China as its account operator, WeChat records show and a government source confirmed.

Featuring Morrison's photograph, it originally promoted major announcements on the economy or the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, translated into Chinese.

But in January, the account was rebranded 'Australia China New Life', and said it would provide information such about life in Australia, Reuters confirmed by viewing the account. The account registration is now linked to a technology company, Fuzhou 985, in Fujian province, Reuters found. Reuters wasn't immediately able to reach the company to request comment.

Liberal Senator James Paterson, Chair of Parliament's Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, told media the incident was an example of "censorship" and "foreign interference".

"There's 1.2 million Australians of Chinese descent who overwhelmingly use this service and now can no longer access news and information from their Prime Minister," he said on Australian radio on Monday.

"Yet they can still gain access to critiques of the government, attacks on the government by the (Labor) Opposition Leader," he added.

Fergus Ryan, senior analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said having the Prime Minister's WeChat account registered under the name of a Chinese citizen was "always risky and ill-advised", and appeared to be a breach of WeChat rules.

"Any account set up in this way can be shut down at a moment's notice," he said.

In December 2020 the Scott Morrison WeChat account was temporarily blocked amid a political dispute between Canberra and Beijing over an image of an Australian soldier in Afghanistan.

In the 2020 incident, a note appeared from WeChat saying the content violated regulations, including distorting historical events and confusing the public.

Top News

australia / Morrisons / WeChat

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • BB asks female staff to wear 'modest' attire, discourages short-sleeved or length dresses, leggings
    BB asks female staff to wear 'modest' attire, discourages short-sleeved or length dresses, leggings
  • Representational image. Photo: Collected
    US yet to confirm third-round talks as tariff deadline looms
  • File photo of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia arriving at the Evercare Hospital from her Gulshan residence on 18 June 2025. Photo: UNB
    Khaleda Zia taken to Evercare Hospital for late night medical check-up

MOST VIEWED

  • Photo: Collected
    Bangladeshi man jailed for life in UK for murdering wife in front of their baby
  • Ctg port authority halts contractor recruitment for Kamalapur ICD operations for two months
    Ctg port authority halts contractor recruitment for Kamalapur ICD operations for two months
  • Fire at Cosmo School in Mirpur on 23 July 2025. Photo: TBS
    Fire breaks out at Cosmo School in Mirpur following generator explosion
  • Representational image. File Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS
    Debate arises as edu adviser says postponed HSC exams of 22 and 24 July will be held on same day
  • The Government Seal of Bangladesh
    Govt mulls allowing trade unions with 20 workers, industry leaders warn of disorder
  • Photo: CA Press Wing
    Stronger stance needed on maintaining law and order: Political parties to CA

Related News

  • Australia will not commit troops in advance to any conflict: Pat Conroy
  • Australia's Albanese confirms China visit as Beijing eyes trade deal review
  • Australia to support free and fair elections in Bangladesh: Amir Khasru
  • Australia says US missile purchase shows commitment to defence spending
  • Australia regulator and YouTube spar over under-16s social media ban

Features

Photo: Collected

24 July: More than 1400 arrested, 3 missing coordinators found

1d | Panorama
Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS

Aggrieved nation left with questions as citizens rally to help at burn institute

1d | Panorama
Photo: TBS

Mourning turns into outrage as Milestone students seek truth and justice

1d | Panorama
Illustration: TBS

Uttara, Jatrabari, Savar and more: The killing fields that ran red with July martyrs’ blood

2d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

ISPR reports 31 dead, official tally 29

ISPR reports 31 dead, official tally 29

3h | TBS Today
13 political parties meet with chief advisor; urge to announce election date

13 political parties meet with chief advisor; urge to announce election date

3h | TBS Today
Bangladesh and Pakistan unite to fight drugs

Bangladesh and Pakistan unite to fight drugs

4h | TBS Today
Case Study of Milestone Tragedy

Case Study of Milestone Tragedy

5h | TBS Today
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net