China Matters board member Allan Gyngell talks to Labor MPs
A director of think-tank called China Matters was invited to speak to Labor MPs last week by senior frontbencher Penny Wong.
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Just a day after the Morrison government withdrew funding from a think-tank called China Matters, Labor invited one of its directors, Allan Gyngell, to speak at Shadow Cabinet where he criticised MPs who have been vocal about China.
The government last week announced that China Matters, which has been given almost $2 million in grants since 2015, would no longer receive funding from three departments — Prime Minister and Cabinet, Defence and Foreign Affairs — from June 30.
Attorney-General Christian Porter also revealed he was reviewing whether it was “appropriate’’ for China Matters to receive the three years of extra funding his department has agreed “in-principle” to provide.
The decisions come after concerns the think-tank was lobbying against Australia’s national interests. The think-tank has denied this.
Sky News host Sharri Markson revealed on Sunday night that after the government’s decision to cut funding to China Matters on Sunday, June 14, the organisation was invited to speak at Shadow Cabinet on Monday night.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese introduced Mr Gyngell, whose appearance and speech was understood to be organised by Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong.
It is understood Mr Gyngell said the MPs who were criticising China were causing unnecessary provocation to a complex relationship already in trouble.
He also made mention of the Wolverines — a group set up by Liberal MP Andrew Hastie.
Senator Wong said she and Deputy Leader Richard Marles had been arranging eminent experts in Australian defence, strategic and foreign policy to brief key Labor MPs.
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“While I do not discuss what occurs at Shadow Cabinet, I can confirm that as part of this process, Mr Allan Gyngell AO was invited to speak at last week’s Shadow Cabinet,” Senator Wong said.
“Mr Gyngell has been one of the single greatest contributors to Australian foreign policy for decades. He is a giant of Australian foreign policy, has been Australia’s chief intelligence analyst and was the founding executive director of the Lowy Institute. He is trusted and respected across the political spectrum.
“Mr Gyngell is a board member of China Matters. Other board members include the Australian government, academics, retired public servants, business leaders and a former Liberal MP,” she said.
China Matters, a body backed by a number of business leaders, diplomats and academics, has fallen out of favour in Canberra, with MPs concerned it was using taxpayer funds to boost Beijing’s agenda. In addition to halting public funding, the government has reversed a decision to grant China Matters “deductible gift registration” status — making it more difficult for the organisation to raise funds.
The move to freeze out the think-tank comes after China Matters’ former CEO last year called for Australia to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Beijing over its highly controversial Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.
It also follows China’s Communist rulers ramping up pressure on Australia over the government’s call for an independent global inquiry into COVID-19.