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Australian Books

Under the bed

13 December 2014

9:00 AM

13 December 2014

9:00 AM

Australia Under Surveillance Frank Moorhouse

Vintage, pp.298, $33, ISBN: 978085798972

The Spy Catchers: The Official History of ASIO 1949-1963 David Horner

Allen & Unwin, pp.736, $60, ISBN: 9781743319666

The bogeyman of the ASIO agent under the bed has long been an obsession of the Left, and judging from Australia Under Surveillance it will continue to be for a long time to come. Moorhouse is clearly not a person who falls into the ‘useful idiot’ category – he has a long list of writing and research credits to his name – but his look at the security agencies in Australia is disappointing and unfocused.

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Derek Parker is a regular book reviewer for The Spectator Australia.

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