Outgoing American Ambassador John Berry has warned that free countries like the United States and Australia must be vigilant against undemocratic meddling in their political systems.
Mr Berry was responding to a question about Chinese political donations and "soft power" influence in Australia, but he also broached the risk of interference by Russia, North Korea and Iran in the US.
Mr Berry also offered effusive praise for Australia's electoral system, saying he would "try to take home with me" compulsory voting, a time limit on election campaigns and independent drawing of electoral boundaries to stop manipulation known as "gerrymandering".
The Ambassador, who is due to finish up his three-year stint in about a month, told an audience at the National Press Club in Canberra that non-democratic countries were influencing democracies through ownership of media and in some cases cyber attacks.
"This is not aimed at anyone specifically, not China specifically, but there are other countries in the world – Russia, North Korea, Iran – none of which are democracies, and yet somehow in the United States at least we're finding increasingly they're getting involved in our democracy, while they do not share that core value."
His comments come after a series of revelations about Chinese political donations in Australia, including the admission by Labor senator Sam Dastyari that a Chinese government-linked firm paid some of his travel expenses.
Mr Berry said that economic co-operation between countries could lead to sharing of values and greater freedom "but we ought not kid ourselves that economic engagement will always produce that".
Praising Australia's electoral system, he said Australians were "some of the most rational people on the planet" the US could be stronger by adopting some Australian practices.
"The first is your compulsory voting system. The second is a time limit on election campaigns," he said. The third was "parliamentary boundaries that are decided by an independent election commission".
In the US, congressional electoral boundaries are decided by state governments, allowing ruling parties in the states to change the boundaries to advantage their allies. Their presidential election campaigns now run for well over a year including primary campaigns.
Mr Berry said it was up to Australia how it dealt with issues such as foreign political donations but said "the way the United States is thinking about this is nothing is ever hurt by increased transparency and increased sun light and disclosure".
Asked whether Republican candidate Donald Trump would distance the US from allies such as Australia, Mr Berry – who was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama – pointedly said that any occupant of the White House was constrained by the other branches of government.
"Whatever challenge ever exists in our system, it has always self-corrected itself by that original genius of the founding fathers to place power in enough other places that prevents anybody from ever cornering enough of the game to do any serious damage or harm."
