CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s highest court has rejected a challenge to foreign interference laws in a case that involved a U.S. conservative political organization and free speech arguments. China has condemned the laws introduced in 2018 that are widely seen as a means of preventing covert Chinese interference in Australian politics, universities and other institutions. An Australian think tank, LibertyWorks Inc. objected to having to register while it was promoting annual conferences for the American Conservative Union. But six of the court’s seven judges said the law was valid because foreign interference could impede Australian decision-makers if not disclosed.
