Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane bails on dinner in his honour

He may not have a portfolio, but suspended Labor MLC Shaoquett Moselmane pulls a crowd with his events. But one set up in his honour on Saturday night was cancelled — but not until almost the last minute, The Sauce can reveal.

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State MLC Shaoquett Moselmane had been looking forward to a reception in his honour on Saturday night at the Meryatah Charitable Association in Auburn but the small matter of an international espionage investigation kept him away.

Moselmane definitely has a sense for suspense: organisers were still hoping he’d show until late Saturday afternoon when he formally apologised.

NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane did not attend a planned event on Saturday night. Picture: AAP/Bianca De Marchi

SOCIAL MENACE

After Friday’s raids, pollies were trawling social media to ensure they hadn’t posted happy snaps with Moselmane, who has been a ubiquitous fund­raiser for the party, particularly on China-related matters.

In 2017, he hosted a forum on “China Relations In The Shadows of the Trump Presidency” with guests including ex-premier Bob Carr and Associate Professor Hong Chen. A year later, the same pair joined Moselmane at a forum on “China’s Rise From Poverty to Economic Power: Impact on International Relations”.

NOBODY’S GIRL V SHOPPIES

Labor was always going to face a tussle in the Senate after Malcolm Turnbull’s double dissolution election led to Deborah O’Neill being elected for a coveted six-year term instead of the three years many of her Senate colleagues got.

The fight has begun, with O’Neill battling it out with fellow right-wing Senator Kristina Keneally for the top winnable spot.

Deborah O'Neill.

Kristina Keneally. Picture: Kym Smith

While there are likely to be two winnable spots, the second position is reserved for a leftie.

O’Neill has the support of the powerful shoppies union, but KK — a former NSW Premier who famously described herself as “nobody’s girl” after she was installed by factional warlords, is leader Anthony Albanese’s favourite. She got into the Senate when ex-war lord Sam Dastyari self-destructed and wants to hang around.

GOOD JOB

Health Minister Greg Hunt uploaded a social post encouraging people to download the COVIDSafe app this week. The short clip shows someone — possibly Hunt — watching a clip of himself reminding people to get the app. Why do we think it’s Hunt? Because a message

briefly appears on the screen during the video, designed to look like a herogram from the PM.

“$550,000 to support children and young people who have a parent or guardian with a mental illness. Great work Greg!”

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Originally published as Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane bails on dinner in his honour