Spies, lies and hairdryers: The single mum who became a double agent in Cold War Australia

  • 📰 abcnews
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 48 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 23%
  • Publisher: 83%

Australia Headlines News

Australia Latest News,Australia Headlines

In the late 50s an over-confident Russian diplomat asked Kay Marshall on a date. Unbeknownst to her, she was being brought into the murky world of Soviet intelligence.

In the late 1950s an over-confident Russian diplomat asked Kay Marshall on a date. Unbeknownst to her, she was being brought into the murky world of Soviet intelligence.

The case reached a climax when she was sent on a mission to deliver a secret messaging device to a suspected illegal spy in Adelaide, but no-one showed up.has connected the failed rendezvous with a man found dead, hanging from a tree on a nearby golf course, in the days after.In 1958 Ms Marshall was a single mum, recently divorced. She worked at the British High Commission in New Zealand, processing passports.

Ms Marshall's supervising staff spotted a textbook recruitment move — he was trying to hook her in as an informer. "I think she was a very resourceful, charming woman ... she did a good job as a double agent," says journalist David McKnight, who uncovered the case decades later.After two years of low-level contact with the Russians, Ms Marshall decided to move to Australia.Her Soviet handlers, who were convinced she'd become a useful asset, asked her to meet a man at Taronga Zoo, a harbourside landmark.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

Scary but fascinating stuff. Thoroughly enjoyed this.

That's it? Who was she really? Are they from the Aboriginal community? Or the European community such as the Armenian Australian NSW Premier Berejiklian? Or the Asian community such as the Chinese Australian Mathematician Eddie Woo?

This was gripping viewing last night.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 5. in AU

Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Former Manchester United defender Neville in frame for Matildas job: reportPhil Neville has emerged as a shock candidate to become the next coach of Australia's national women's team, according to reports from the UK. VinceRugari Could be good, he really was great with the Lionesses VinceRugari Will he be coaching via Zoom? VinceRugari That’s all we need is an ex Manu flog poisoning the minds of our girls. YNWA 👊
Source: smh - 🏆 6. / 80 Read more »

Daniel Andrews told an 'outright lie' yet Victorians continue to cheer him on | Sky News AustraliaSky News host Paul Murray says Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told 'an outright lie' today, but he is going to get away with it and will likely be cheered on by the Victorian public. \n\nMr Andrews on Tuesday told a parliamentary inquiry that ADF assistance was not offered to Victoria to help manage the state's hotel quarantine.\n\nContrary to his claims, there is documentation suggesting ADF support was offered early on and was not accepted by Victoria.\n\nMr Murray said former NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell was made to resign because “reality did not match up with what he told an independent commission against corruption.”\n\n“What does Daniel Andrews have to do when he tells an outright lie about the defence forces?” Mr Murray said. \n\n“He’s probably going to get away with it.\n\n”When it was the NSW premier and a bottle of wine he had to go.\n\n“When it’s the Victorian premier and it’s the use of the ADF in hotel quarantine that is the source of the virus’s second wind that has gone on to kill hundreds of people in Victoria, he’ll keep skating.”\n\nMr Murray showed a poll which revealed 56 per cent of Victorians believed the issue with the state’s hotel quarantine program was not the government, but was the fault of irresponsible individuals. \n\n“Daniel Andrews is going to get away with this and he’ll be cheered on most likely despite the fact his decisions … have locked you up for six weeks, have destroyed an economy and lots of people have died,” Mr Murray said. \n\n“This is truly bizarre.”\n\nImage: Getty DanielAndrewsMP Ha ha. Who listens to Paul Murray? He’s a joke. DanielAndrewsMP hilarious, that bloated beard is in no position to critique, the entire sky at night brigade are all failed liars and grifters. DanielAndrewsMP Who is Paul Murray?
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »

'State becomes more powerful and individuals weaker' with forced isolation: Alan Jones | Sky News AustraliaWhen people are forced into isolation in their private homes and made fearful of some great disaster, which this is not, the result is “the state becomes powerful and the individual becomes weaker,' says Sky News host Alan Jones. \n\nMr Jones said it is increasingly clear that governments have applied and persisted with the wrong strategies in dealing with the coronavirus.\n\nHe said the nation has been overwhelmed by the “coronavirus folly”. \n\n“The public are distressed”.\n\nMr Jones said in 2005, the then health minister Tony Abbott argued then that in the wake of a likely pandemic, 'Australia should commence border security measures beforehand.' \n\n“We did not, we kept importing the virus,” Mr Jones said. \n\n“Indeed, as Health Minister, he released, in 2005, a pandemic influenza awareness kit to every GP … in other words, the federal government and the nation were told this by Abbott in 2005”. \n\n“What we have witnessed is wanton betrayal, especially of the elderly,” Mr Jones said. \n\nImage: Getty Alan Jones, one of the few honest journalists left! 👏 Cue all the left wing slaves that are petrified of loving a normal life Empower yourselves and protect your children LyleShelton schitzoziris ozcrimenews nickbarnesaus Disillu31110791 Akarnious 🐷🐷🐷👹👌👌👌🔥🔥🔥🐲😤🤢🤮🦠🐒👇👇👇🐂💩
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »

Border lockdown to remain 'for months and months and months'Western Australia has warned it could be months before they consider lifting border restrictions. The lunacy is deeply embedded. Sensible conclusion . . It simply means, you come to WA, and that OK ! But you pay for two weeks hotel quarantine, so if you have the virus, we know who you have been with here. What's wrong with that ? Unless your Clive Palmer.
Source: 9NewsAUS - 🏆 10. / 72 Read more »

'Dark, depressing and cold': Cancer patient tells of harrowing experience at 'death hospital'A nurse who developed cancer details her experience as both a health professional and patient at Royal Perth Hospital, saying she feels like if she goes into the crumbling, asbestos-riddled facility, she will 'go out in a box', as the Opposition and unions call for the facility to be completely overhauled. That dog could probably do a better interview then you.
Source: abcnews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »

Australia among world's highest coronavirus death rates in aged care sector | Sky News AustraliaThe rate of coronavirus deaths in Australia's aged care sector now ranks among the highest in the world, with at least 218 lives lost so far.\n\nFederal agencies reportedly failed to prepare despite warnings from overseas the elderly were most vulnerable to the disease.\n\nThe Royal Commission into Australia's aged care crisis heard the government had not implemented specific COVID-19 plans for the sector.\n\nIn Sydney, the two main nursing home outbreaks during the first wave - in Newmarch House and Dorothy Henderson Lodge - had not been investigated by regulators. \n\nThe aged care sector makes up almost 70 per cent of Australia's deaths during the pandemic. \n\nDespite 138 deaths across Victorian facilities since July, the commission is not investigating that state's aged care outbreaks. \n\n Federal funding cuts to aged care is the cause. Aged care is a federal responsibility but no criticism from the feral right because its not Dan Andrews. Media is the virus
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »