Hardie Grant Books has acquired world rights to Clive Hamilton's controversial book, Silent Invasion.
Publishing immediately in Australia on Friday 2nd March 2018, Silent Invasion detail evidence showing how various Chinese Communist Party agencies have sought to extend Beijing's influence in Australia for strategic and political gains. Thoroughly researched and powerfully argued, the book is a sobering examination of the mounting threats to democratic freedoms Australians have for too long taken for granted. Yes, China is important to our economic prosperity, Hamilton says; but, he encourages readers to ask, how much is our sovereignty as a nation worth?
A professor of public ethics at Charles Sturt University in Canberra, Hamilton received an Order of Australia for his contribution to public debate. He has previously published seven books with Allen & Unwin, who were originally scheduled to publish Silent Invasion in early 2018.
Allen & Unwin abandoned publication plans late last year with Robert Gorman, Allen & Unwin chief executive officer, stating in an email to Clive "potential threats to the book and the company from possible action by Beijing" as the reason for the decision to delay the publication at least a year. Unwilling to wait, Hamilton requested the rights for the book to be returned, and looked for another publisher, only to be turned down by other publishers citing the same fear.
In order to minimise the legal risk, Hamilton rewrote the book. "I can't stop an authoritarian foreign power using vexatious litigation by its proxies to suppress a book criticising it," Hamilton said. "Thank God there is one publisher in Australia willing to stand up for free speech."
The abandonment of Hamilton's book and the reluctance of other Australian publishers to take it up brings into focus urgent questions about academic freedom and free speech in Australia.
"I'm not aware of any other instance in Australian history where a foreign power has stopped publication of a book that criticises it," Hamilton said. "The reason three publishers refused to publish this book is the very reason the book needs to be published."
Hardie Grant chief executive officer, Sandy Grant is no stranger to this situation, having successfully fought the British government's attempt to ban the publication of the 1987 book Spycatcher.
Grant said, "Hardie Grant was clear Silent Invasion needed to be published. This is substantive research bringing to light a concerted effort by the Chinese Communist Party to gain influence in a covert manner. Having gone through Spycatcher, it's my experience that governments will try to prevent things from getting into the public domain that may damage their perceived interests. We value freedom of speech ahead of those interests."
Early Praise for Silent Invasion:
"Anyone keen to understand how China draws other countries into its sphere of influence should start with Silent Invasion. This is an important book for the future of Australia. But tug on the threads of China's influence networks in Australia and its global network of influence operations starts to unravel."
Professor John Fitzgerald, author of Big White Lie: Chinese Australians in White Australia
Title: Silent Invasion: China's Influence in Australia
Author: Clive Hamilton
Formats: paperback, ebook
Publication Date: 2 March 2018
RRP: AU$34.99/ NZ $39.99
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