Foreigners have been banned from working as interns for Australian members of Parliament, a spokesman for the Senate said on Thursday, in a reform apparently aimed at blocking Chinese prying into Australian affairs.
The program placing young people in a much-prized position working for a federal legislator for a three-month stint had been open to all nationalities, as long as the applicant did not have a criminal record.
"Internships at Parliament House are restricted to Australian citizens," said a spokesman for Senator Scott Ryan, president of the Senate, which oversaw the change.
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