Tape emerges of Sam Dastyari at infamous press conference
Sam Dastyari suffers new blow as tape emerges of a press conference where he contradicted Labor’s South China Sea policy.
Labor Senator Sam Dastyari has suffered another blow with a partial tape emerging of his infamous press conference where he contradicted Labor policy on the South China Sea.
Last year it was revealed that the Senator had pledged to respect China’s position on the South China Sea while standing next to Huang Xiangmo, a businessman who had previously paid one of his legal bills.
In the tape, which Channel Nine reported was recorded at the press conference, the Senator says Australia should not interfere in the dispute.
“The Chinese integrity of its borders is a matter for China, and the role that Australia should be playing as a friend is to know that we think several thousand years of history, thousands of years of history when it is and isn’t our place to be involved.”
“As a supporter of China and a friend of China the Australian Labor Party is playing an important role in maintaining that relationship and the best way of maintaining that relationship is knowing when it is and isn’t our place to be involved,” he said.
Labor at the time had a very different position.
The conference was held on July 17, a day after Labor’s Defence Spokesman at the time, Stephen Conroy, said a federal Labor government would authorise the Defence Force to conduct a freedom of navigation exercise in the South China Sea.
Senator Dastyari has previously confirmed a report of his press conference which led to his resignation from Labor’s frontbench last year.
“I held a press conference about the issue of safe schools with the Chinese media. I had a Chinese leader beside me,” he told ABC’s Q&A,
“At the end of the press conference I was asked a question about a foreign policy matter that I gave the wrong answer to.”
But the appearance of the tape will add further concern about the Senator’s future after Fairfax Media reported this morning that Senator Dastyari had a face-to-face meeting with Mr Huang and warned him he may be phone tapped by Australian and US authorities.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said this was tantamount to providing “countersurveillance advice”.
“Here he is, an Australian senator who has gone to a meeting with a foreign national with close links to a foreign government and advises that foreign national, Mr Huang, to put their phones inside to avoid the possibility of surveillance,” Mr Turnbull said.
“Why is he giving countersurveillance advice to Mr Huang? Why is he trying to alert Mr Huang that perhaps Australian Security agencies may have an interest in him.”
Property developer Huang Xiangmo, in comments to The Australian, has not denied he was warned by Labor Senator Sam Dastyari that his phone might be tapped but has accused the media of telling “fairytales”.
In August, Seantor Dastyari said Mr Huang did not ask him to hold the media event but he was there “to bring the Chinese media”.
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese has labelled a report about Sam Dastyri giving classified information to a Chinese donor a “beat up”.
“What an absolute beat-up this is and of real concern is the apparent laissez faire attitude that the Government has towards using the security agencies to try to make a partisan political point,” Mr Albanese told Adelaide radio station 5AA.
Spy agencies ‘used for politics’
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese has labelled a report about Sam Dastyri giving classified information to a Chinese donor a “beat up”.
Mr Albanese defended the NSW senator after a report alleging he had a face-to-face meeting with Chinese Communist Party-linked Huang Xiangmo and warned him he may be phone tapped by Australian and US authorities. He also accused the government of feeding the story to Fairfax Meida.
“What an absolute beat-up this is and of real concern is the apparent laissez faire attitude that the Government has towards using the security agencies to try to make a partisan political point,” Mr Albanese told Adelaide radio station 5AA.
“What we have here is a whole lot of innuendo basically. They say that this occurred. On what basis is that knowledge out there?
“The allegation is there were two people as part of the conversation - Senator Dastyari and Mr Huang. And it purports to know as fact what happened in that conversation. I just find it extraordinary.”
Earlier, Malcolm Turnbull accused Senator Dastyari of trying to subvert Australian authorities while helping the communist Chinese government as he called on the NSW Labor powerbroker to consider leaving parliament.
The Prime Minister savaged Senator Dastyari for sharing concerns Huang Xiangmo, was being surveilled from Australian and US intelligence agencies, calling it a “very serious issue of national security”.
Mr Turnbull questioned the allegiance of Senator Dastyari, asking: “whose side is Sam on? Not Australia’s it would seem.”
“Here he is an Australian senator who has gone to a meeting with a foreign national with close links to a foreign government and advises that foreign national, Mr Huang, to put their phones inside to avoid the possibility of surveillance,” Mr Turnbull said.
“Why is he giving countersurveillance advice to Mr Huang? Why is he trying to alert Mr Huang that perhaps Australian Security agencies may have an interest in him.
“This goes well beyond, his previous appalling conduct where he had Huang Xiangmo pay some of his personal debts.
“We expect Australian senators to be the side of Australia, not assisting foreign governments and foreign allegiances.”
Mr Turnbull noted Senator Dastyari has admitted he thought Mr Huang’s phone was being surveilled, although the Labor senator claims he only passed on rumours from journalists.
“Clearly thought that Mr Huang’s phone, perhaps, his phone as well, possibly, was the subject of surveillance,” he said.
“If an Australian Security agency is surveilling a foreign national’s phone, the last thing you should do, is the tip that foreign national off.”
Mr Turnbull questioned what Bill Shorten told Senator Dastyari about a potential investigation into Mr Huang. The Opposition Leader has regular briefings from the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation.
“What did Bill Shorten tell Sam Dastyari, directly or indirectly, about possible interest from security services? What did he tell him and how can he allow him to remain on his frontbench?,” he said.
“Sam Dastyari should really be considering his position in the Senate. We’ve had a lot of questions about citizenship lately and here is the question for Sam Dastyari: whose side are you on? Why are you giving countersurveillance advise to a foreign national closely linked to a foreign government.”
Shorten puts Dastyari on notice
Opposition leader Bill Shorten has slapped down Senator Dastyari saying he expects it to be the last time the NSW senator’s judgment is called into question following reports he passed on classified security information to a Chinese political donor.
“I have made it clear to Senator Dastyari that this is not the first time his judgment has been called into question but I certainly expect it to be the last,” the Opposition Leader said in a statement.
Attorney-General George Brandis has declared Senator Dastyari’s position in the parliament was “untenable” following reports the key ally of Mr Shorten passed on classified information. Senator Brandis demanded Senator Dastyari explain what he told the Chinese Communist Party-linked Mr Huang, who had been a past political donor to the NSW powerbroker.
Fairfax media reported this morning Senator Dastyari had a face-to-face meeting with Mr Huang and warned him he may be phone tapped by Australian and US authorities. It was reported the conversation took place after officials from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation briefed government and ALP politicians Mr Huang was being investigated due to his links with the Chinese government.
Mr Shorten said Labor would not accept donations from Mr Huang. He said he received confidential briefings from security agencies but he did not discuss them with Senator Dastyari or anyone else.
“I have also spoken to Senator Dastyari, who has never made a secret of the fact that this meeting took place,” Mr Shorten said. “He has again confirmed that he did not pass on any classified information because he didn’t have any.”
Senator Brandis said he would pursue Senator Dastyari in the Senate today but would not say if he would move a censure motion against him. “Senator Dastyari’s position is untenable on the basis of these allegations he has a lot of explaining to do, as for what action we will take in the Senate that is a matter I will be discussing with my colleague,” Senator Brandis said.
“One has to ask the question: why would anyone acting in good faith warn a benefactor to have a conversation in circumstances that are only consistent with engaging in counter surveillance activity?
“Why would an innocent person do that? What was he trying to hide? What was he worried that those whom had been suspected of carrying out surveillance might learn about what he was telling the Chinese benefactor?”
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said, if the allegations are true, Senator Dastyari was trying to “thwart” an ASIO investigation.
“The allegations are Senator Dastyari was actively seeking to thwart an intelligence agency investigation, that is the accusation and that is very serious, acting against our national security interests is acting against Australia’s national interest,” she said.
“Senator Sam Dastyari must reveal publicly each and every discussion he had with his Chinese benefactor and the action he has taken in relation to representations made to him by his Chinese benefactor.
“Sam Dastyari must answer them for if they are accurate it will show that Senator Dastyari was acting against Australia’s national interest, against Australia’s national security concerns and that would make his position as a senator untenable.”
Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg said Senator Dastyari was the “ultimate backroom operator” who should leave parliament “through the back door”.
“We know from reports today that he tipped off his good friend about the surveillance that may have been in place,” Mr Frydenberg said. “The question is: did he tip off Bill Shorten and did Bill Shorten and the Australian Labor Party tip Sam Dastyari about the concerns that people had with the company he was keeping?
“It’s now up to Bill Shorten to take the necessary action about one of his own senators. Now the pressure is on Bill Shorten to answer these very serious allegations.”
Senator Dastyari’s alleged meeting came less than a month after he stepped down as consumer affairs spokesman and manager of opposition business in the Senate.
His parliamentary fall from grace followed revelations he’d allowed Mr Huang to pay a personal debt. Senator Dastyari also reportedly took a pro-China stance on the South China Sea, which is at odds with Labor’s position.
Senator Dastyari denied any wrongdoing this morning. “After the events of last year, I spoke to Mr Huang to tell him that I did not think it was appropriate that we have future contact,” he said.
“I thought it was a matter of common courtesy to say this face-to-face.”
Senator Dastyari insisted he has never been briefed by any security agency, or received any classified information.
“I reject any assertion that I did anything other than put to Mr Huang gossip being spread by journalists.”
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