I invited Bob Carr to lunch hoping to talk about his controversial role as head of UTS's Australia-China Research Institute. This job has turned the former foreign minister and NSW premier into the go-to "pro-China" voice on TV debates and at conferences, including The Australian Financial Review Business Summit last week.

Some question whether he is too pro-Beijing and whether ACRI was compromised by a $1.8 million donation from controversial Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo.