Hackers working for the Chinese military and government have been probing Australia’s key infrastructure and telecoms network, warns spy chief.

Mike Burgess, director-general of security for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, warned Australians could have their water and electricity supplies cut off as well as extensive banking trouble if hackers managed to cause widespread telecoms disruption.

“Foreign governments have elite teams investigating these possibilities right now,” Mr Burgess insisted.

However, China‘s foreign ministry accused Burgess’s statement of spreading false narratives.

The warning demonstrates the difficulty faced by Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese in trying to keep China close economically while trying to mitigate security concerns.

Burgess said espionage was estimated to have cost the country A$12.5bn (£6.2bn) last year, including billions in trade secrets and intellectual property.

In particular, he highlighted the activities of the Chinese hacking groups Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon.

He highlighted how Salt Typhoon had previously penetrated US telecoms systems intending to disrupt operations and pre-position for potential sabotage.

Burgess also warned that Australian companies could be crippled as trade competitors or that elections could be affected.

Chinese officials made complaints to the Australian government and private sector about ASIO whenever he spoke
publicly about China, Burgess said during a speech last week. “It won’t stop my resolve,” he said.

Not the first time alarms have been raised

Concerns were raised in Canberra in February after Chinese warships conducted live-fire drills with minimal warning in the Tasman Sea.

Australian authorities only heard about the drills when a commercial pilot for Virgin Australia notified Airservices Australia.

The drills resulted in 49 flights having to change their path.

It was a sombre occasion when the Princess Royal paid tribute to those who gave their lives defending freedom thousands of miles from home.

Under grey skies, Anne joined British and Singaporean veterans in a minute’s silence at the Kranji War Cemetery in Singapore.

She then took a poppy wreath in her hands and laid it at the memorial before taking two steps back.

Nearly 4,500 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War, who died defending Singapore and Malaya from Japan, are laid to rest in the cemetery.

Among them is Midshipman James Bremridge, a relative of Anne’s husband Sir Timothy Laurence.

Mr Bremridge, who died aged 18, served aboard HMS Repulse, which was sunk by Japanese aircraft in the South China Sea in December 1941.

Sir Timothy laid a wreath on his grave.

During the visit, Anne met staff from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which she heads, and was greeted by its vice chair Peter Hudson.

Commander Tim Curnock of the British Royal Navy read an extract from For the Fallen, before the assembled veterans said “we will remember them” in unison.

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Along with the princess, the presidents of the Singapore Armed Veterans’ League and veterans’ charity Sandbag were also invited to lay wreaths at the memorial.

The piper, who played to mark the occasion, stood at the top of the cemetery overlooking the rows of headstones and saluted after Anne spoke to him.

The two-day visit to Singapore marks 60 years of diplomatic relations with the UK.

The Princess Royal also visited the National Orchid Garden, where a flower was named after her in a short ceremony.

The purple bloom, now called Dendrobium Anne, was “very special” she said.

The princess was also shown around the VIP garden, where orchid hybrids named after various heads of state are kept.

She paused to admire one called Dendrobium Elizabeth after her late mother.

Six members of the royal family have had orchids named after them in the garden, including the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2012.

Anne also visited HMS Spey, which has been deployed to the Indo-Pacific region since 2021.

The UK has cut £150m from its contribution to a global project which combats AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

The pledge of £850m for the period of 2026 to 2028 represents a 15% drop from the £1bn contributed for 2023-25.

The UK has historically been one of the biggest donors to the Geneva-based Global Fund, which raises and invests money to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

It comes as European nations face growing pressure from US President Donald Trump to commit more funding to defence.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the latest funding was an “investment in our shared security and prosperity” and it would help to save “up to 1.3 million lives and protect British people and our NHS from the spread of diseases”.

But some charities and aid groups have criticised the drop in funding, calling it “disappointing”.

Joanna Rea, director of advocacy for UNICEF in the UK, said: “Cutting the UK’s pledge to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria jeopardises vital partnerships that protect children from preventable diseases.

“It’s a disappointing decision and comes as the UK prepares to co-host a replenishment conference and should be encouraging other donors.”

Earlier this year, the government cut its overall aid budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income so it could divert funds for annual defence spending.

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The UK is also set to co-host a pledging event for the fund with South Africa later this month in Johannesburg as world leaders gather for the G20 summit.

The Global Fund is trying to raise $18bn (£13.7bn) for its work in the coming three-year period.

The money will help it save 23 million lives and move the world closer to ending the three deadly infectious diseases, it says.

In October, Germany committed €1bn (£882m), which was €300m (£265m) lower than its pledge in the last funding cycle.