Royal Commission on Espionage

Australian inquiry into Soviet espionage

Vladimir Petrov
William Owen (Commissioner)
Victor Windeyer (Council assisting)

OutcomeNo prosecutions, expulsion of the Soviet EmbassyInquiriesRoyal Commission into espionage committed by the Soviet Union

The Royal Commission on Espionage was a royal commission established on 13 April 1954 by the Australian government pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 to inquire into and report on Soviet espionage in Australia. The establishment of the commission followed the defection of Soviet diplomat Vladimir Petrov (the "Petrov Affair").^[1] Officially titled Third Secretary of the Soviet Embassy in Canberra, it was revealed that Petrov was in fact a lieutenant colonel in the KGB and in charge of espionage in Australia.^[2]

Background

In 1954, after the instability caused by the death of Joseph Stalin, Petrov made contact with ASIO and offered to provide evidence of the espionage efforts in exchange for political asylum. Over the next few months, ASIO and Petrov exchanged information and his escape plan through dead drops. On 3 April 1954 Petrov defected to Australia, with his wife following on 20 April 1954 after having been freed from Soviet guards by police at Darwin airport.^[3]

Commission

On 13 April 1954, Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced to the House of Representatives the defection of Petrov and the existence of documents pertaining to Soviet espionage in Australia.^[2] He also announced the establishment of the commission. Petrov's documents were shown to the commission, though they have never been made public. Over the course of the commission 119 witnesses were also questioned, notably two staff members of the Australian Labor Party. The staff were represented by the leader of the party H. V. Evatt himself.^[4] Evatt would later call the commission a political play by the Menzies Government to secure a victory in the 1954 election.

Among the documents Petrov gave to the commission were two key documents labeled H and J.

Document J was a document written by prominent Australian communist Rupert Lockwood. Lockwood considered the Soviet Union allies against the alleged rising fascism and Japan and the United States attempts to imperialise Australia. ASIO believed the documents were simply propaganda, while Evatt believed that the document had been altered to name three members of his staff.^[4]

Document H was written by Evatt's secretary of staff Fergan O’Sullivan. It consisted of biographical accounts of members of the 1952 press gallery, and was given to the Soviets by O'Sullivan under the pretense of helping them plant pro-Soviet articles in the press. In fact, the document was used to identify potential agents.

Findings

The principal findings of the commission were that the "Petrov Papers" were legitimate, that the Soviet Embassy in Canberra had been used for espionage between 1943 and its expulsion in 1954, and that only known Soviet collaborators were communists.^[2] At the time the commission was considered by many on the left to be a McCarthyism show trial.^[4]

1998 claims

In 1944 Allied "Ultra" estimates of Japanese troop strength were being sent to Tokyo from Australia; initially thought to be from the Chinese attaché Colonel Wang, they were traced to the Soviet Embassy (which did not have access to Ultra information) by the Harbin Special Spy Report. In 1998 it was claimed by Desmond Ball and David Horner that they were given to the Japanese by the Soviet consulate in Harbin, Manchuria as Stalin wanted to delay an American victory over Japan until the Soviet Union could participate. The information was from Evatt’s staff, and enabled Japan to reinforce troops on Leyte (which MacArthur's G-2 Willoughby had underestimated), and led to a longer and costlier battle for Leyte.^[5]

References

^ "Soviet Spy Ring Directed from Canberra — Mr. Menzies". Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957). 14 April 1954. p. 1. Retrieved 20 July 2019 – via Trove.
^ ^a ^b ^c "The Royal Commission on Espionage, 1954–55". naa.gov.au. National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
^ "Defining moments: Petrov Affair". nma.gov.au. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Royal Commission — The Petrov Affair". petrov.moadoph.gov.au. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
^ Dufty, David (2017). The Secret Code-Breakers of Central Bureau. Melbourne, London: Scribe. p. 318. ISBN 9781925322187.

Royal Commissions of the Commonwealth of Australia

1901–1920

1901–1910

1901–1905

to inquire into and report upon the arrangements made for the transport of troops returning from service in South Africa in the S.S. "Drayton Grange" (1902)
on sites for the seat of government of the Commonwealth (1903)
on the Bonuses for Manufactures Bill (1903–1904)
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1911–1920

1911–1912	on the sugar industry (1911–1912) on the pearl-shelling industry (1912–1916) on the fruit industry (1912–1914)
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1917–1918	on Java and the East Indies, Singapore and the Straits Settlements (1917–1918) on Navy and Defence Administration (1917–1919) on the war—Australian Imperial Force. Report as to number of members fit for active service and number of reinforcements and enlistments required (1918) on Public Service administration, Commonwealth of Australia (1918–1920) upon the public expenditure of the Commonwealth of Australia with a view to effecting economies (1918–1921) on taxation of leasehold estates in Crown lands (1918–1919) on the basic wage (1919–1920)
1919–1920	on the sugar industry (1919–1920) on industrial troubles on Melbourne wharfs (1919–1920) on late German New Guinea (1919–1920) to inquire into complaints by the munition worker passengers to Australia by the transport "Bahia Castillo" (1919) on Northern Territory Administration (1919–1920) on taxation (1920–1923) on the increase of the selling price of coal (1920)

1921–1940

1921–1930

1921–1922	on the matter of uniform railway gauge (1921) on pillaging of ships' cargoes (1921) on Cockatoo Island Dockyard (1921) upon the loyalty to the British Crown of German Nationals resident in Australia whose property is liable to a charge created by the Treaty of Peace Regulations made under the Treaty of Peace (Germany) Act 1919–1920 (1921)
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1925–1926	on health (1925–1926) on Norfolk Island affairs (1926) on certain matters in connexion with the British Phosphate Commission (1926)
1927–1928	on wireless (1927) on the Edie Creek (New Guinea) leases (1927) on the Moving Picture Industry in Australia (1927–1928) on the Constitution (Australia)
1929–1930	on the coal industry (1929) to inquire into allegations affecting members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee of Public Accounts in connexion with claims made by broadcasting companies against the Commonwealth Government (1930)

1931–1940

1931–1935

on Jacob Johnson (1931)
on performing rights (1932–1933)
on taxation (1932–1934)
on mineral oils and petrol and other products of mineral oils (1933–1935)
on the wheat, flour and bread industries (1934–1936)
to inquire into and report upon the circumstances associated with the retirement of Lieutenant-Commander Alan Dermot Casey from the Royal Australian Navy (1934)
to inquire into the monetary and banking systems at present in operation in Australia (1935–1937)

1936–1940

on doctors' remuneration for national insurance service and other contract practice (1938)
regarding the contract for the erection of additions to the General Post Office, Sydney (1939)

1941–1960

1941–1950

to inquire into and report upon the contract or contracts with Abbco Bread Co. Pty. Limited for the supply of bread to the Department of the Army, and other matters (1941)
to inquire into circumstances under which certain public monies were used and to whom, and for what purposes such moneys were paid (1941)
an inquiry into a statement that there was a document missing from the official files in relation to "The Brisbane Line" (1943)
to inquire into and report upon certain transactions of the Sydney Land Sales Control Office, and the Canberra Land Sales Control Office of the Treasury (1947)
to inquire into certain transactions in relation to timber rights in the Territory of Papua-New Guinea (1949)

1951–1960

on the Port Augusta to Alice Springs Railway (1951–1952)
on television (1953–1954)
on espionage (1954–1955)

1961–1980

1961–1970

on alleged improper practices and improper refusal to co-operate with the Victoria Police Force on the part of persons employed in the Postmaster-General's Department in Victoria in relation to illegal gambling (1962–1963)
on loss of HMAS Voyager (1964)
on the statement of Lieutenant Commander Cabban and matters incidental thereto (1967–1968)
into exploratory and production drilling for petroleum in the area of the Great Barrier Reef (1970–1975)

1971–1980

1971–1975

Aboriginal Land Rights Commission (1973–1974)
Australian Post Office Commission of inquiry (1973–1974)
of Inquiry into land tenures (1973–1976)
on petroleum (1973–1976)
of Inquiry into the maritime industry (1973–1976)
Independent Inquiry into Frequency Modulation Broadcasting (1973–1974)
of Inquiry into transport to and from Tasmania (1974–1976)
on Australian Government Administration (1974–1976)
on human relationships (1974–1978)
on intelligence and security (1974–1977)
into alleged payments to maritime unions (1974–1976)
to inquire into and report upon certain incidents in which Aborigines were involved in the Laverton area (1975–1976)
on Norfolk Island (1975–1976)

1975–1980

of Inquiry into drugs (1977–1980)
of Inquiry into matters in relation to electoral redistribution Queensland, 1977 (1978)
of Inquiry into the efficiency and administration of hospitals (1979–1981)
of Inquiry into the viability of the Christmas Island phosphate industry (1979–1980)
on the activities of the Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union (1980–1984)

1981–2000

1981–1990

1981–1985

of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking (1981–1983)
into the activities of the Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders Labourers' Federation (1981–1982)
into Australian meat industry (1981–1982)
of Inquiry into the activities of the Nugan Hand Group (1983–1985)
on the use and effects of chemical agents on Australian personnel in Vietnam (1983–1985)
on Australia's security and intelligence agencies (1983–1985)
of Inquiry into compensation arising from social security conspiracy prosecutions (1984–1986)
into British nuclear tests in Australia (1984–1985)
of inquiry into alleged telephone interceptions (1985–1986)

1986–1990

of inquiry into Chamberlain convictions (1986–1987)
into grain storage, handling and transport (1986–1988)
into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (1987–1991)

1991–2000

of Inquiry into the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (1994–1995)
of Inquiry into the leasing by the Commonwealth of accommodation in Centenary House (1994)
of Inquiry into the relations between the CAA and Seaview Air (1994–1996)

2001–2020

2001–2010