NSW Labor leadership hopeful Chris Minns dismisses China ‘donation’

Hopeful Chris Minns dismisses reports he took $5000 from a man with Communist Party ties.

NSW Labor leadership hopeful Chris Minns. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Revelations that NSW Labor leadership candidate Chris Minns took a $5000 donation from a businessman with strong associations to Chinese Communist Party officials has raised concerns of dirty tricks in the leadership contest.

As Mr Minns prepares to take on opponent Jodi McKay for the party leadership, he has denied any knowledge of the source of a $5000 donation made in 2013 to him, earmarked as “moving expenses” to fund his return from the US to Australia to run federal MP Chris Bowen’s election campaign.

The donation was taken from a larger $100,000 donation made to Mr Bowen by Frank Chou on behalf of The Australian Chinese Teo Chew Association — which is listed as a member organisation of the Chinese Communist Party’s controversial Australian Council for the Peaceful Promotion of the Reunification of China.

Mr Chou has previously said he established the association in 1988 to “help the new immigrants to Australia, especially those who do not have adequate English skills or other resources, so that they can quickly adapt or even integrate into the local society”.

Mr Bowen has said it was his understanding that “the donation was fully declared in accordance with the law”.

“It was agreed between myself and the NSW Party office that Mr Minns would run the McMahon campaign on his return … I knew that he would be remunerated by the Party office in accordance with guidelines and procedures both then and now,” he said

A spokeswoman for Mr Minns told The Australian the $5000 “moving expenses” donation came after he was asked to move back to Australia when he finished a masters degree at Princeton University in 2013.

“Mr Minns put aside plans to remain and work in the United States with his family in order to return to Australia earlier than expected in order to help Labor win the seat.

“Mr Minns was engaged as a salaried employee of the NSW Labor Party, and to his knowledge his wages, and any associated expenses, were paid through the normal NSW ALP employment and expense channels,” the spokeswoman said.

The Australian does not suggest Mr Minns or Mr Bowen have conducted themselves unlawfully.

A source within the Minns campaign told The Australian the revelations raised concerns about breaches of personal information in the leadership contest.

Documents initially referenced in an ABC report appeared to have come from the NSW ALP head office, and showed the initial invoice for the $100,000 donation made to Chris Bowen and a subsequent invoice outlining the $5000 portion subsequently allocated to Chris Minns.

Both Mr Minns’ campaign and federal deputy Labor leader Richard Marles have appeared to point the finger at NSW ALP head office over the issue, with both instructing journalists to direct questions about the donation to NSW Labor Party

Mr Marles said “it doesn’t look as though there’s been any wrongdoing”.

“At the end of the day it’s a matter for the New South Wales branch of the Labor Party.

“We have been very clear since then that we support banning foreign donations in Australian election campaigns.” Mr Marles said.

The Australian has approached Kaila Murnain, general secretary of the NSW Labor Party, for comment.

It is understood that she is rejecting the idea that the financial documents were deliberately leaked to the media.