SENATOR THE HON PENNY WONG
LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY IN THE SENATE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
LABOR SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA
THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
PM ACCUSED OF IGNORING SECURITY WARNINGS TO WIN MARGINAL SEAT
Today there are extraordinary reports that senior Liberals were warned by security agencies that concerns about Gladys Liu's links to the Chinese Communist Party made it unwise to pre-select her.
One Government MP is quoted: There should have been concerns when she was being chosen to stand as a candidate and I believe those concerns were ignored.
These reports raise serious questions as to whether the Prime Minister and the Liberal Party put winning marginal seats ahead of Australia's national security.
This goes far beyond whether an interview was clumsy. It goes directly to the national interest.
In light of these reports, the Prime Minister must urgently demonstrate to the Australian people what steps he took to ensure that Gladys Liu is in fact a fit and proper person to sit in the Australian Parliament.
It is in the interests of Chinese-Australian communities and our inclusive democracy for these specific concerns to be addressed.
The only person linking these specific and serious concerns about Ms Liu to the entire Chinese-Australian population is Scott Morrison and he should stop.
All parliamentarians must be able to provide assurance that they have no conflict of interest in serving the Australian people.
Sources:
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/liberal-party-told-of-security-concerns-over-liberal-mps-links-to-the-chinese-communist-party/news-story/e972a5da7fa8d3f4fa16cdc6a7cee3a7
https://thewest.com.au/politics/federal-politics/libs-turn-on-mp-gladys-liu-as-pressure-builds-for-investigation-into-china-links-ng-b881320275z
THURSDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2019
