Andrews launches company with former China adviser

Zheng Mei – aka Marty Mei – played a key role in the controversial Belt and Road Initiative and accompanied Daniel Andrews on as many as six official visits to China.

Daniel Andrews and Marty Mei. Supplied

Daniel Andrews has launched his post-political career by establishing two companies this week and partnering with his former chief government adviser on China.

Australian Securities & Investments Commission documents show the former Victorian premier and Zheng Mei — also known as Marty Mei — are joint shareholders in one of the newly created companies.

As revealed by The Weekend Australian on Saturday, Mr Andrews, who as premier made six official trade missions to China, has registered Glencairn Street Pty Ltd and Wedgetail Partners Pty Ltd, both of which are based in an office tower in St Kilda Rd.

Glencairn Street was registered on Wednesday and Mr ­Andrews is the sole director, secretary and shareholder of the firm.

Wedgetail Partners was registered on Thursday, with Mr Andrews listed as the sole director and secretary. Glencairn Street is listed as the holder of nine of Wedgetail’s 10 shares.

ASIC records list Zheng Mei as the holder of a single share in Wedgetail. The documents were lodged with ASIC on Mr Andrews’ behalf by A-list law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler.

Mr Zheng, who played a key role in the Andrews government’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative deal with Beijing, accompanied Mr Andrews on as many as six official government visits to China.

These trips included last year’s surprise and secretive trade mission and he was instrumental in BRI negotiations with Beijing in 2017 and 2018. After arriving in Melbourne as an international student in 2006, Mr Zheng worked for former Labor MP Hong Lim before joining Mr Andrews’ office in 2014, after he was elected premier.

Figures familiar with the ex-premier’s post-political ambitions say he is not interested in developing a lobbying business and is more focused on building an ­investment-focused business, tapping into his network of contacts in the United States and China.

Mr Andrews and Mr Zheng could not be reached for comment on Friday.

Mr Andrews cultivated close ties with China during his 13 years as opposition leader and premier, visiting the communist nation multiple times.

The dealings culminated in his government signing up to Beijing’s global investment BRI, a deal that was later ripped up by the Morrison government.

Tensions between the Andrews government and Morrison government came to a head in the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic when Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas accused the federal government of “vilifying” China over the virus. At the time, the ­Andrews government was due to sign up to another stage of the BRI deal.

The Andrews government and Beijing started negotiations for Victoria to embrace the BRI when Mr Andrews was the only Australian leader to attend a major forum hosted by the communist superpower in 2017.

At the time, Mr Andrews spruiked the Belt and Road forum invite as “confirmation of Victoria leading Australia in engagement with China”.

“Positioning Victoria for future Belt and Road Initiative opportunities and promoting Victoria’s leadership and achievements in engaging with China to world leaders,” Mr Andrews’ travel ­report said.

Daniel Andrews Premier of Victoria visiting China with Beijing's Forbidden City in the background. Picture Supplied

Last March, just six months ­before he resigned as premier, Mr Andrews, accompanied by Mr Zheng, embarked on a surprise visit to China.

The itinerary of the four-day trade mission, which cost taxpayers $82,000, was not immediately released and the Australian media was not invited.

After he returned to Melbourne, Mr Andrews defended the lack of public information about the trip.

“Let’s be really clear about this – this trip was not about me and with the greatest of respect, it was not about you (reporters),” he said.

“It was about the success of Victoria and we stand by what was a full program and important program, one where we got a very warm reception.”

Later, in an official report, Mr Andrews said the mission was aimed at promoting closer education, trade, and tourism ties, and to strengthen Victoria’s relationship with Jiangsu and Sichuan provinces.

“My travel aligns with government priorities to promote Victoria’s interests and capabilities with the state’s largest trading partner, and largest pre-pandemic source of international visitors and international students, noting Victoria’s sister-states of Jiangsu and Sichuan Provinces are home to more than 160 million people,” he said in his report.

Mr Andrews was the first state leader to visit China since before the pandemic, and said his­ ­program comprised primarily of government-to-government meetings.

He said benefits to Victoria included supporting the return of international students to Victoria and encouraging greater tourism, cultural, and trade ties.