Wedding photo reveals Bill Shorten’s relationship with Huang Xiangmo
Bill Shorten faces further scrutiny over his relationship with Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo.
Bill Shorten is facing further scrutiny over his relationship with a Chinese businessman and former ALP donor with links to the Chinese Communist Party Huang Xiangmo following the release of photographs of the Labor leader attending the wedding of Mr Huang’s daughter.
The photographs emerged following a refusal by Mr Shorten’s office to explain a lunch he attended with Mr Huang in 2015 after the Chinese billionaire made a $55,000 donation to the Labor Party.
Attorney-General Christian Porter said the photographs showed the “depth” and extent of the relationship between Mr Shorten and Mr Huang.
Mr Huang was denied entry back into Australia by the Morrison government earlier this year after leaving Australia for an offshore trip. His permanent residency visa was cancelled. Security agencies are believed to have held concerns about Mr Huang’s links to the Chinese Communist Party.
Since 2012, Mr Huang and his Yuhu Group are believed to have donated more than $1 million to the ALP.
Liberal powerbroker Michael Sukkar said the ABC’s Four Corners report on Monday night — which revealed that Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton had a meeting with the Chinese real estate developer, who paid at least $10,000 to former Liberal minister and lobbyist Santo Santoro — should also have referenced the Opposition leader’s lunch with Mr Huang.
Mr Huang’s property company, Yuhu Group, said in documents lodged with the City of Ryde it donated to the Labor Party for a “boardroom lunch” with Mr Shorten. Labor has since called for a ban on foreign political donations.
Former Labor Senator Sam Dastyari was forced to resign from Parliament partly due to his relationship with Mr Huang.
Mr Shorten’s office has been contacted for comment.
Islamic leaders condemn alleged attack against sheik
Leading Islamic bodies have condemned an alleged attack on prominent Sydney sheik and Muslim Vote convener Wesam Charkawi, criticising the NSW and federal Labor governments’ ‘silence’.
Private funding push for new Games stadium
A new front has opened up in the battle over Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic venues, as the mayor leads a fresh push backed by hundreds of public submissions for private funding for a new stadium.