Labor MPs reveal fears over Andrews’ China relations
Labor MPs in Victoria say they continue to “take on water” over the Andrews Government’s relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. Here’s what they have to say.
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Labor MPs in Victoria say they continue to “take on water” over the Andrews Government’s relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.
After NSW MP Shaoquett Moselmane had his home raided as part of an ASIO investigation into Chinese influence on Friday, state and federal MPs told the Herald Sun they feared fresh scrutiny on links to China would inevitably hurt them in Victoria.
Senior MPs say the Belt and Road Initiative — which Victoria has signed an agreement on and which China uses to promote its economic strategy — is still causing pain because it has never been explained properly.
“Even dealing with this in the electorate, people have concerns and they’re not being addressed it’s not just about jobs,” one said.
State and federal Labor MPs told the Herald Sun they had received a significant increase in correspondence from voters concerned about the Belt and Road deal, and the Andrews Government’s relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.
“We’re taking on so much water over this,” one state MP said.
“There’s a great deal of anger.”
Another Labor figure said the political fallout would intensify if China followed through on trade threats, particularly if Victorian universities lost Chinese students after they were warned not to study in Australia.
A federal Labor source suggested Mr Andrews was too stubborn to walk away from the Belt and Road agreement, but said that his decision to cancel the East West Link contract showed he was capable of ripping up deals which were not in his political interests.
Several Labor MPs told the Herald Sun they believed Mr Andrews should ditch the deal, arguing the “strategic times have changed” since it was signed.
The Herald Sun also revealed links between one of Premier Daniel Andrews’ electorate office staff and the Chinese Communist Party, with a recently posted video on social media suggesting the coronavirus was created by the US.
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