By Lauraine Knight
Turnbull and his MPs have turned all their guns on Sam Dastyari and – aided by the mainstream media and the ABC – are producing a cacophony reminiscent of a 1950s “Reds under the Beds“ campaign, but totally ignoring the obvious influence the Chinese have on the LNP.
Do they forget that their own Tony Abbott, Stuart Robert and Ian MacFarlane accepted Rolex watches worth $250,000 from Chinese billionaire businessman, or their hand in signing the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) which allows uncertified Chinese workers the opportunity to take Australian jobs? Or that Chinese investors are allowed to purchase properties in Australia at will, which helps to inflate prices and keep first home-buyers out of the market?
Do they also forget Julie Bishop’s links to Chinese political donors who donated $500,000 to the Western Australian division of the Liberal Party? And that in an apparent breach of Commonwealth law some of those donations were not disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commission? And while we are on Julie Bishop, what about the $200,000 worth of jewellery that it is thought was donated to her (that she has refused to explain)? Why too, as an aside, is Sam Dastyari so important all of a sudden while a blind eye is turned to the importation of asbestos, contaminated building materials, inferior steel, toxic children’s crayons and contaminated food.
But I digress.
Did Andrew Robb receive a $110,000 donation after the ChAFTA signing? And what about the $880,000 a year job he took with a Chinese billionaire after quitting politics (which, incidentally, was shortly after the ChAFTA was signed)?
And have they forgotten that Malcolm Turnbull goes to private dinner with a Chinese business man shortly after he had donated $40,000 to the Queensland LNP? Odd, isn’t it, that it coincided with the beginning of the attacks on Sam Dastyari? And lets not forget that Sam Dastyari had been pushing hard for Banking Royal Commission … which Turnbull did not want.
Next comes John Alexander. Campaigning with Alexander in the Bennelong by-election is Mr Tim Xu, who was an adviser of Mr Huang Xiangmo. You may recall it was Xiangmo who paid Sam Dastyari’s costs of $1,500 … which was what sent the LNP and the media into a frenzy. Mr Xu was present at the meeting and Sam Dastyari said the phones were most likely bugged (as how else did the information become public?). Did Mr Xu record the meeting? How odd that he is now working to elect John Alexander in Bennelong even though it was suggested by the LNP that Mr Xu is a Chinese spy!
If anything, Mr Xu must be a ‘double agent’ working for the Liberals and China. Hmm, perhaps not … as they are both on the same side!
But like I said: Liars always shout and make wild accusations to deflect attention.
