▁are ▁being ▁published ▁in ▁the ▁media , ▁because ▁such ▁revel ations ▁would ▁cause ▁" an x iety ▁and ▁concern " ▁for ▁the ▁direct ors ▁of ▁the ▁five ▁intelligence ▁ag encies ▁of ▁the ▁UK USA ▁Ag re ement . ▁Nick y ▁H ager , ▁a ▁New ▁Zealand ▁investig ative ▁journalist ▁who ▁exposed ▁the ▁E CH EL ON ''' ▁surve ill ance ▁system , ▁confirmed ▁that ▁such ▁surve ill ance ▁operations ▁have ▁been ▁conducted ▁by ▁the ▁intelligence ▁ag encies ▁of ▁the ▁Five ▁E yes ▁for ▁quite ▁some ▁time . ▁ ▁Australia ▁ ▁A ▁sp okes man ▁for ▁Australia ' s ▁Department ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁and ▁Trade ▁said : ▁" It ▁is ▁the ▁long - standing ▁practice ▁of ▁Australian ▁govern ments ▁not ▁to ▁comment ▁on ▁intelligence ▁matters ." ▁Australian ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Tony ▁Abb ott ▁told ▁rep or ters ▁that ▁" Every ▁Australian ▁government al ▁ag ency , ▁every ▁Australian ▁official ▁at ▁home ▁and ▁abroad ▁oper ates ▁in ▁accord ance ▁with ▁the ▁law , ▁and ▁that ' s ▁the ▁ass urance ▁that ▁I ▁can ▁give ▁people ▁at ▁home ▁and ▁abroad ". ▁ ▁Canada ▁ ▁Government ▁represent atives ▁at ▁C SE ▁decl ined ▁to ▁comment ▁directly ▁on ▁the ▁leak . ▁A ▁sp okes w oman ▁for ▁Canada ' s ▁Def ence ▁Minister ▁Rob ▁Nich ol son ▁decl ined ▁to ▁comment . ▁ ▁China ▁ ▁H ua ▁Ch un ying , ▁a ▁sp okes w oman ▁for ▁China ' s ▁Foreign ▁Ministry , ▁react ed ▁an gr ily ▁and ▁demanded ▁that ▁foreign ▁entities ▁and ▁personnel ▁in ▁China ▁" str