AIBC National Chair

Australia India Business Council National Chair calls for urgent joint action from authorities to expose criminalsources of anonymous emails

Mr Jim Varghese AM, National Chair Australia India Business Council Ltd. (AIBC), has urged the Australian Government, state governments, Microsoft and Google to join forces and expose those behind the anonymous emailstargeting AIBC officials. He believed the hackers were engaged in cowardly cyber-bullying, blackmail and harassment.

Mr Varghese saidthe AIBC had successfully implemented major reform agendas and certain opponents to this process hadresorted to vicious and racist anonymous emails attacking AIBC officials.

He said that it was deeply concerning ACORN and police sourceshad advised the AIBC that tracing and exposing these anonymous cyberbullies could be a slow and difficult process.

ACORN had also advised that it did not have the technological know-how available to investigate such offences. Mr Varghese believed this response was disappointing in this digital age, characterised by technology.

Mr Varghesesaid the situationwarrantedimmediate action as an issue of urgent public interest.

“We now have a rogue element in Victoria which is prepared to undermine and threaten the excellent trade and investment relationship between Australia and India, out of parochial self-interest,” he stated.

As well, he raised the prospect of other business organisations and corporations being targeted and blackmailed with little or no opportunity to identify the perpetrators.

Mr Varghese said that he had offered law enforcement authorities access to the anonymous email material (a dossier of over 100 defamatory and harassing emails) received by the AIBC, in an effort to identify and press criminal charges against the culprits.

He added that these emailshad been fully analysed and were ready for action by the relevant law enforcement authorities.

Healso believed the matter presented an excellent opportunity for federal and state governments to demonstrate that effective and prompt action could be taken against anonymous cyber-bullies and offenders.

Mr Varghesesaid he had raised the issue with The Hon Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister of Australia and The Hon Bill Shorten MP, the then Opposition Leader, during the recent Federal Election Campaign. Hestressed that a public enquiry on this issue wasboth warranted and timely.