Billionaire Chinese donor Huang Xiangmo fights to return to Mosman mansion after Canberra strips his residency
A Chinese businessman who donated millions to Labor and the Liberal Party has been ‘locked out’ of his luxury $13 million Mosman mansion, stranded overseas after authorities blocked his bid for Australian citizenship.
A Chinese businessman who donated millions to Labor and the Liberal Party has been ‘locked out’ of his luxury Sydney mansion, stranded overseas after authorities blocked his bid for Australian citizenship.
In a move that could prompt an angry response from Beijing, Australian officials have declared Huang Xiangmo unfit to hold an Australian passport and have cancelled his permanent residency.
He is now battling to return to his $13 million Mosman mansion where he has been living with his wife and children since 2011.
Mr Huang - who has donated almost $2.7 million to Australian political parties in five years - was thrust into the spotlight over his links to former Labor senator Sam Dastyari.
It later emerged the nation’s spy agency ASIO had warned Australia’s three major political parties to be wary of accepting donations from the businessman over his suspected links to the Chinese Communist Party.
Government sources have reportedly told Nine Newspapers Mr Huang was denied a passport for a range of reasons, including character grounds and concerns about his answers in official interviews and correspondence with authorities.
Officials spent more than two years considering his bid for citizenship, including assessing his ties to China’s ruling party.
It is understood Mr Huang is now planning to mount a legal fight to return to Australia.
Nine reports he may be able to challenge the decision with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal but an official told the publication it would take “a very long time”.
Both the Labor and Liberal party will now come under pressure over donations they have accepted from Mr Huang in recent years.
Federal Cabinet Minister Karen Andrews said that returning donations from Mr Huang was worthy of “consideration”.
“I think it’s very clear that the Australian public want is openness and transparency in respect of political donations and that’s what the Liberal and National Party is committed to as well,” she told Sky News.
“The issue of donations to political parties is one that has been discussed for many years and may well continue to be discussed into the future as well.”
HUANG XIANGMO’S LUXURY HARBOUR HOME
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