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Dastyari’s Chinese connection continues to dog Labor

Former Labor senator Sam Dastyari is back in the public spotlight.

Former Labor senator Sam Dastyari is back in the public spotlight. Photo: AAP

Labor Senator Sam Dastyari’s decision to let a Chinese company foot his office bills continues to dog the Opposition, despite the party’s frontbench insisting the matter is over.

The government used Parliament on Thursday to both mock and berate Labor over the revelation Senator Dastyari allowed a company with links to the Chinese government to pay a $1670 travel debt because he had blown his own budget.

The matter has become more serious with the subsequent revelation Senator Dastyari has publicly defended China’s position on its controversial military build-up in the South China Sea.

His stance is contrary to his own party’s position and that of the government.

Senator Dastyari is looking increasingly compromised, sparking continued calls for his resignation and the flagging of a possible inquiry into the scandal.

Leader of the House Christopher Pyne has thrown the issue at the feet of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, saying it was up to him to explain the actions of his shadow minister.

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Mr Shorten was asked to explain Dastyari’s actions. Photo: AAP

“The Leader of the Opposition needs to explain to the House or to the people, through the press, when he became aware that a business with links to the Chinese government had paid Senator Dastyari’s personal debts,” Mr Pyne said. 

“He needs to explain what action he took at that time and whether he is satisfied with Senator Dastyari’s response to the revelations that occurred this week. Until he does that, this matter will not go away. 

“The Leader of the Opposition needs to take responsibility for his frontbench.”

‘Someone who can find the loot’

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce enthusiastically made fun of the Labor Party, saying it should employ Senator Dastyari to help fund agricultural policy.

“They need someone with a bit of entrepreneurial flair. They need someone with a little bit of pizzazz,” Mr Joyce said.

“They need somebody who has the capacity to find the loot. They have to find the loot. They need Senator Sam Dastyari. That’s who they need.”

The Zhu connection

Sydney-based Top Education Institute (TEI) – whose principal is Minshen Zhu, a friend of the most senior Chinese government officials – paid the travel debt for Senator Dastyari.

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Dr Zhu and Malcolm Turnbull. Photo: TEI

But Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke, who had to restate Labor’s policy on the South China Sea and admitted his Labor colleague had been out of line, said the matter was put to rest because Senator Dastyari had apologised and donated the money to charity. 

He also attempted to table photographs of Dr Zhu posing with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Attorney-General George Brandis. 

In fact Dr Zhu is an enthusiastic political donor and has sought out leaders from both sides of politics – donating more than $230,000 to Labor and Liberal since 2010.

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Dr Zhu and Julia Gillard. Photo: TEI

Director-General of ASIO Duncan Lewis personally briefed the directors of the Labor, Liberal and National parties last year on the security risks accompanying foreign-linked donations.  

Labor frontbencher Stephen Conroy has now called on the government to ban all foreign donations to Australian political parties. 

“Ban foreign companies from actually being able to donate at all,” Senator Conroy said.

“We’re one of a very small number of countries who actually don’t ban this practice.”

Concern over Chinese donors and  politicians is not new

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Chris Johnson is a Walkley Award-winning journalist who has spent the past decade working in the Canberra Press Gallery, most recently as the bureau chief for Fairfax Media. He is now a Political Correspondent for The New Daily.

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