Sam Dastyari resigns following pressure over payments

EMBATTLED Labor senator Sam Dastyari has resigned saying a payments scandal he was embroiled in was a ‘distraction’.

FOLLOWING a week of pressure, Senator Sam Dastyari has resigned from the Labor frontbench following the revelation a Chinese company paid a personal bill.

At a press conference on Wednesday evening, Mr Dastyari made the emotional announcement saying the scandal had become a “distraction” to the Labor Party.

“Today, I spoke to my leader, Bill Shorten, and offered my resignation from the frontbench which he accepted,” he said.

“The last thing a Government as bad and divided as this one deserves is a free pass. I refuse to be the reason they escape proper scrutiny.”

He will remain as a NSW senator but will serve his time on the backbench.

The NSW senator, known as Dasher in Canberra circles, has been under a week of scrutiny after details emerged of a $1670 bill he owed to the Department of Finance being paid for by Chinese donor Top Education. In addition, the Chinese backed Yuhu Group had previously settled a $44,000 legal bill racked up by Mr Dastyari.

Only yesterday, Labor leader Bill Shorten was backing the influential senator all the way calling him “a bright young bloke” who “can make a big contribution in the Senate and to this country”.

But 24 hours is a long time in politics and by Wednesday, his leader’s support evaporated.

Senator Sam Dastyari announces his resignation from the federal opposition Labor front bench at a press conference in Sydney. Picture: John Fotiadis

Looking like he was on the verge of tears, Mr Dastyari thanked his wife Helen and the party in his resignation speech.

“From the beginning, I freely admitted that I made a mistake. I made all the necessary disclosures and what I did was within the rules but it was wrong.

“I fell short of the duty I owe to the people I’m so proud to represent. I accept that, and I’m

here to made it clear I accept the consequences,” he said.

The Labor Party owes me nothing and I owe the Labor Party everything. Bill Shorten and the team don't deserve this distraction.

— Sam Dastyari (@samdastyari) September 7, 2016

“The Labor Party owes me nothing and I owe the Labor Party everything.”

Talking to the press on Tuesday, Mr Dastyari admitted to making a mistake and apologised.

However, the senator left several crucial questions unanswered. On why he accepted the payments at all, Mr Dastyari refused to be drawn only saying he was “not here to justify or make excuses,” and the affair had been “a learning experience.”

While pushed on whether his financial relationships had affected his view on Sino-Australian issues he replied he supported Labor’s position on China’s maritime incursions into waters claimed by other countries.

For many it simply wasn’t enough of an explanation and calls continued for him to stand down from the front bench.

“Yesterday, I called the press conference and answered questions. Today, I have reflected on that and decided that wasn’t enough. It’s clear to me now that this has become a distraction,” he said on Wednesday.

Senator Sam Dastyari failed to answer crucial questions at a press conference held on Tuesday where he apologised for taking payments from outside organisations. Picture: AFP.

Former Liberal prime minister John Howard said on Wednesday that he believed Mr Dastyari should be removed from the frontbench.

At the National Press Club in Canberra he was asked whether the senator was damaging Labor and Shorten.

“Far be it for me to offer advice to Mr Shorten, but I think the answer to that question is definitely yes,” Mr Howard said.

“That was the rule in the end that I applied when people got into difficulty and I think he, on that ground, he has gone a million.”

In an ominous sign of things to come, Mr Dastyari cancelled a speech he was due to give on Wednesday evening at the University of Queensland at the 11th hour.

The university Labor Club, who organised the speech, said Mr Dastyari was “unable to make it up from Sydney”.

However, at just 33, few are writing off Mr Dastyari’s political career just yet. Even the senator himself sounds like he has high hopes of a comeback, after a suitable sojourn on the coach’s bench, of course.

“I will continue to serve with pride as a Senator for New South Wales and I look forward to serving a Labor Party government in the fear future in whatever capacity I can.”
Don’t count on Dasher being down just yet.