Liberal MP Gladys Liu struggles with questions on China links

Liberal MP Gladys Liu dodges questions about alleged links with China’s communist party | WATCH

Labor is calling on Liberal MP Gladys Liu to prove she is a “fit and proper person” to be in parliament, as opposition frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon says her loyalty to Australia “seems somewhat confused”.

Ms Liu had a train wreck interview on Sky News on Tuesday night in which she refused to call Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator and refused to answer questions about her alleged links to organisations backed by the Chinese Communist Party.

Mr Fitzgibbon said Ms Liu must now make a statement to parliament to reassure Australians that she is loyal to Australia and called on Scott Morrison to also come out and clarify Ms Liu’s position.

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“She made the situation worse last night in what was a train wreck of an interview in which her loyalties, at the very best, seem somewhat confused,” he told the ABC on Wednesday morning.

“It’s now incumbent upon her to make a statement to the parliament reassuring Australians, particularly in her electorate, that she is a fit and proper person to sit in the House of Representatives.

“It’s now time for Scott Morrison to make a similar statement ... he has been prepared to not speak one word of defence of Gladys Liu. The Australian people deserve that reassurance.”

Labor senate leader Penny Wong called on the Prime Minister to make a statement on Ms Liu — citing Liberal Party calls in 2017 for the removal of ex-ALP senator Sam Dastyari over his links with Chinese donors.

“I can recall the Liberal Party making Sam Dastyari a test for the Labor leadership. This is Scott Morrison’s test.”

Senator Dastyari was also forced to resign from the senate in late 2017 after he declined to denounce China’s position on the South China Sea.

Ms Liu won the marginal Melbourne seat of Chisholm — which has a significant Chinese population — by just 0.6 per cent in a fierce battle against Labor counterpart Jennifer Yang at May’s election.

In her interview with Andrew Bolt, Ms Liu said she could not recall being a member of the China Overseas Exchange Association between 2003 and 2015, after an ABC report revealed Ms Liu’s name had appeared on documents outlining her membership of the association.

Experts say that at the time of her membership, the China Overseas Exchange Association was an arm of Beijing’s powerful State Council, and has since been merged with the Communist Party’s United Front Works.

Ms Liu also refused to condemn China’s actions in the South China Sea as unlawful, a position at odds with her government, during a combative interview with Bolt on Sky News on Tuesday night.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has described the United Front Works as one of China’s “magic weapons”.

“I cannot recall as it is reported,” Ms Liu said. “If I can’t recall, I can’t be an active member of that council can I? I have never been a member, they can put your name there without your knowledge.”

Ms Liu failed to clearly rule out links to the group, but did acknowledge that during her maiden speech she had mentioned she was a member of the Chinese Professional Business Association.

Bolt then pressed Ms Liu on her loyalty to Australian government positions that differed from China’s, asking her if she believed China’s actions in the South China Sea were unlawful.

“My understanding is that a lot of countries (are) trying to claim ownership, sovereignty of the South China Sea, because of various reasons and my position is with the Australian government,” she said.

“I want to make sure that Australia’s interests are put first and foremost, and if it is going to affect our trade, or our air travelling, then definitely that is something I would not support.

“Of course I would put Australia’s interests first.

Liberal MP Gladys Liu refused to talk to journalists as she left the Sky studios in Parliament House in Canberra after she was interviewed by Andrew Bolt. Picture: Gary Ramage

“As I said in my maiden speech I would always want to have a good relationship between Australia and China and I would put Australia’s interests first,” she said.

The United Front group is said to build up networks of individuals in overseas Chinese communities that are friendly toward Beijing, with the goal of exerting political influence in that diaspora country.

The Prime Minister has previously endorsed Ms Liu credentials, saying she “has led an amazing Australian life”.

Former Labor Senator Sam Dastyari’s 2017 downfall from politics came after he said Australia should remain neutral on China’s actions in the South China Sea.

A 2016 ruling from The Hague found there was no legal basis for Beijing’s activities there which included building artificial islands.