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Photo: Alex Ellinghausen Dastyari tape raises heat

EXCLUSIVE A brief report in a Sydney-based, the press conference has been ob- in The Hague. The ‘‘role Australia officials corroborates that Senator Chinese-language newspaper last tained by The Age. It shows Senator should be playing as a friend is to Dastyari planned to make the com- year about the June 17, 2016, press Dastyari clearly and deliberately know that, with the several thousand ments before he delivered them, and Nick McKenzie conference was partly responsible contradicted Australia’s foreign years of history … where it is and had told Mr Huang of his intentions – James Massola for Senator Dastyari being sacked policy, and Labor policy, by saying isn’t our place to be involved,’’ Senat- things the senator has denied. Richard Baker from the Labor Party frontbench Australia and the ALP should ob- or Dastyari said. The revelations come after The last September. serve ‘‘several thousand years’’ of Senator Dastyari made the com- Age reported yesterday morning An explosive tape recording shows However, Senator Dastyari bla- Chinese history in respecting Bei- ments as he stood alongside Chinese that Senator Dastyari had, in Octo- for the first time that Senator Sam med a spontaneous, ‘‘garbled ... jing’s claims to disputed territory, Communist Party-aligned political ber 2016, met Mr Huang in person at Dastyari delivered a scripted, delib- wrong answer’’ to a curve-ball ques- which includes islands in the South donor Huang Xiangmo. The recor- his house and warned him his phones erate and detailed defence of the tion, or inaccurate reporting, for the China Sea. ded comments sound scripted and were tapped, and that he should not Chinese government’s aggressive comments, in which he suggested These comments repeat the deliberate, and are carefully de- speak near his phone or inside his land grab in the South China Sea, Australia should remain neutral on Chinese government’s position, livered. home. Senator Dastyari did not deny despite the senator’s repeated at- China’s border policy. which was subsequently rejected by The Age has confirmed that intelli- tempts to deny it. Now, however, a tape recording of the Permanent Court of Arbitration gence collected by national security Continued Page 8

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revitalisation of [the] Chinese Nick McKenzie nation.’’ James Massola In 2015, in his capacity as Richard Baker reunification council president, Huang addressed a Chinese On June 17 2016, Senator Sam consulate event, saying: ‘‘We Dastyari strode to a podium overseas Chinese unswervingly engraved with Australia’s coat of support the Chinese government’s arms and began the press position to defend national conference that would almost sovereignty and territorial integrity destroy his career. ... [and] support the development of Dressed in a charcoal suit and the motherland.’’ flanked by two Australian flags, Sydney University of Dastyari projected statesmanship. Technology’s China academic and ‘‘The South China Sea is China’s Communist Party critic Dr Feng own affair,’’ Dastyari was later Chongyi says Huang is closely reported as saying in a Chinese aligned to the United Front and also language news outlet. ‘‘On this issue, ‘‘supported by the Chinese Australia should remain neutral and problem bedevilling Donald Trump. rule, supporting narratives emerged authorities, including the embassy respect China’s decision.’’ Dastyari was forced to deny cash- on the sidelines. [in Canberra] or the consulate [in Weeks after these 19 words were for-comment allegations, and claims One was about the United Front Sydney]’’. reported, and amid fierce scrutiny he’d become a puppet of the Chinese Work Department, a secretive According to three serving or about why the rising star of the ALP government. The coalition dubbed lobbying agency dedicated to what former national security sources, had contradicted Australia’s him ‘‘Shanghai Sam’’. He lost his President Xi has labelled China’s ASIO became interested in Huang in bipartisan foreign policy on Beijing’s position on the Labor frontbench, ‘‘magic weapon’’ – a Leninist-style early 2015, around the same time two aggressive territorial claims, but with no further evidence, operation to influence and recruit senior officials working for former Dastyari hinted that he may have Dastyari was able to make his case friends in the west and isolate prime minister Tony Abbott, never actually said them. that he had simply been hapless, enemies. national security adviser Andrew If he was not ‘‘misquoted’’ he had bumbling and naive. ‘‘The [Chinese Communist Party] Shearer and foreign affairs expert ‘‘mispoken’’ while spontaneously The scandal began to fade. has been making friends from far Michael Thawley, raised concerns responding to an unexpected curve- Then, earlier this year, Dastyari and wide, many of whom have about interference by Beijing and its ball question. sought to bury it forever. become confidants,’’ a top party proxies, including United Front ‘‘Now I’m not going to be the first As part of an effort to rehabilitate official said in a National Congress members and donors. or the last backbench member of himself in the public mind, he went press statement. This interest culminated in a parliament to have taken a foreign on Australian Story, where he The statement also detailed how secret 2015 briefing by ASIO to policy question they shouldn’t have repeatedly insisted his words, which those involved in United Front had senior Labor and coalition figures, taken, mumbled it and answered it contradicted Australian and Labor sought to build support for China’s including ALP secretary George incorrectly,’’ he recently told the foreign policy, were no more than a militarisation of the South China Wright and Liberal director Brian ABC’s Australian Story in a polished spontaneous stuff-up; a blurted, Sea, a land grab ruled illegal by an Loughnane. As a joint Fairfax Media delivery of a well-practised ‘‘wrong garbled answer given to an international tribunal but which and Four Corners investigation answer to an unexpected question’’ unexpected question. CAUGHT President Xi justifies on the basis of revealed in June, Huang was named defence. ‘‘I gave the wrong answer to a thousands of years of history. as one of two donors of concern in Dastyari’s denials that his complicated foreign policy question ON TAPE Like missionaries spreading this briefing. comments were planned or pre- that I was naive enough and perhaps WWhathat SenatorSenator DastyariDastyari religion, United Front operatives By then, Dastyari was Huang’s scripted have withstood intense silly enough to take,’’ he said in ttoldold CChinesehinese mmediaedia had, ‘‘helped political parties and point man in the ALP. Dastyari had scrutiny due to a simple fact: no response to a grilling by ABC friends from all social sectors of assiduously cultivated Huang after evidence had ever surfaced to journalist Quentin McDermott. various countries get to the truth his arrival in Australia in 2011. “The Chinese integrity of its suggest Dastyari was avoiding a less Dastyari’s defence strategy based on facts and reasoning.’’ The charming, impulsive student borders is a matter for China.” palatable truth. worked. In February, he was Huang has dismissed suggestions politician turned rising star of the The only verifiable record of the promoted to the opposition’s senate that he, or the Sydney organisation ALP had described Huang to Labor “The role Australia should be press conference has been a single deputy whip, even though some he headed until this week, the colleagues as a donations ‘‘whale’’. playing as a friend is to know photo of Dastyari at the podium, political observers noted that he Australian Council for the Money from Huang’s successful that with the several thousand flanked by his billionaire benefactor seemed to be uneasy about what Promotion of the Peaceful property development company, the years of history, thousands of and political donor, Chinese ‘‘the agencies’’ knew about his Reunification of China, are engaged Yuhu Group, was able to plump years of history, where it is and developer Huang Xiangmo. dealings with Huang. in United Front work. Labor coffers, Dastyari explained isn’t our place to be involved.’’ The pair’s history initially made He was right to be concerned. In a statement released in June, excitedly. Coalition MPs were also matters far worse for Dastyari. A Fairfax Media investigation has Huang insisted the reunification cultivating Huang as a donor. “And as a supporter of China By June 2016, Huang had given uncovered disturbing new details council is ‘‘an autonomous, non- Huang himself could also act as a and a friend of China the the ALP more than $1 million in about the pair’s relationship. A tape government organisation’’ and it conduit to Chinese voters and the Australian Labor Party needs donations, much of it raised by recording of the press conference was ‘‘incorrect to describe … [it] as Communist Party-aligned Chinese to play an important role in Dastyari. suggests Dastyari sought to spin the an affiliate’’ of the United Front language newspapers, due in part to maintaining that relationship He had also paid $5000 to the truth about what really happened on Work Department or the Chinese his status as a community leader and the best way of Labor senator to help settle a legal that June day. Communist Party. endorsed by Chinese officials. maintaining that relationship bill. Fairfax Media also reported But documents uncovered by ASIO’s interest lay in the question is knowing when it is and isn’t When the 19 words of Dastyari’s yesterday that several weeks after Fairfax Media reveal that while of what, if anything, Huang wanted our place to be involved.” answer were picked up by the the first scandal blew up on August Huang was its leader, the Sydney from Dastyari. Who was charming mainstream press 10 weeks after the 31 2016, costing Dastyari his job, the organisation sent a delegation to a who? Along with providing generous press conference, they were senator drove to Huang’s family United Front conference in Beijing political donations, an organisation reported along with the fact of this home, a multi-million dollar mansion in September 2016, two months after Huang headed paid for two trips $5000 payment, and explosive in North Sydney with water views. the Dastyari press conference. Dastyari took to China. When allegations that ASIO believed some There Dastyari warned Huang There, the Sydney group was Dastyari needed a legal bill settled in Chinese donors may be working with his phones were being tapped. praised by the vice-director of 2014, Huang coughed up $5000, a the Chinese government to influence While the story that the United Front Work payment which Dastyari duly Australian democracy. dominated China’s recent Department and urged to declared. The combination thrust Dastyari National Party Congress was ‘‘broadly make allies to obtain When he was interviewed in and Huang into a scandal with the entrenching of President international support … [for] August this year by Australian Story, parallels to the Russian-interference Xi Jinping’s authoritarian the realisation of the great Dastyari insisted that the 2015 ‘It isn’t our place’: New tape of pro-Beijing

From Page 1 Mr Huang’s CCP links. After details it to be the last,’’ Mr Shorten said. Senator Dastyari’s South China Story that he did not recall ever of the tapped phone warning Speaking to Fairfax Media yester- Sea comments came the day after speaking to Mr Huang about foreign the story, but said he was acting on emerged, Prime Minister Malcolm day afternoon Mr Dastyari said his Labor’s defence spokesman, Steph- policy, and that he made comments ‘‘gossip’’ from journalists in re- Turnbull said the senator should last contact with Mr Huang was 14 en Conroy, had lambasted Beijing’s attributed to him only after he had spect of his dealings with Mr consider resigning and questioned if months ago and ‘‘I haven’t spoken to territorial claims in the South China ‘‘questions thrown at me from the Huang at his family home. he had betrayed Australia. him since’’. Sea as destabilising and ‘‘absurd’’. Chinese media’’. This claim was made despite Sen- Opposition Leader Bill Shorten ‘‘In September last year, I resigned That statement during the 2016 ‘‘It was later reported that, in a ator Dastyari delivering the counter- saidyesterday that he had given Sen- from the ALP frontbench, over com- election campaign prompted Mr very garbled answer, I said some- surveillance advice after multiple ator Dastyari a final warning. ments I made at a ... press conference Huang to tell the ALP he was with- thing along the lines of ‘that’s a mat- media reports that ASIO was inter- ‘‘I have made it clear to Senator which were wrong and not consistent drawing a promised $400,000 dona- ter for China’,’’ Senator Dastyari ested in Chinese Communist Party Dastyari that that this is not the first with ALP policy. I have acknowl- tion. said. ‘‘I gave the wrong answer to a aligned donors and after ASIO had time his judgment has been called edged this a number of times previ- Earlier this year, Senator complicated foreign policy question briefed senior Labor officials about into question, but I certainly expect ously. I paid a price for this error.’’ Dastyari told the ABC’s Australian that I was naive enough and perhaps NATAGE A008 NEWS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2017 THE AGE 9

ASIO warning to his own party application was stalled. intelligence that Dastyari not only and aligning the ALP with Chinese and reported widely by Australian about Huang was never passed on to Dastyari has also insisted publicly planned to talk about the South foreign policy, but also suggests journalists in early September 2016, him, a failing he attributes to his that he was unaware of another China Sea prior to the press Dastyari has engaged in a cover-up. Huang himself had made it clear how colleagues. major event that attracted intense conference, but told Huang he would A cursory listen to the audio he thought the system worked. He ‘‘If there were briefings given … interest from security agencies. do so. shows Dastyari’s comments to be told a Communist Party-controlled frankly, I think they should have A day before the June 17 Dastyari- This intelligence is supported by deliberate and planned – rather then Chinese newspaper that donations been passed on. But they weren’t.’’ Huang press conference, Labor’s audio of Dastyari’s actual statement. mumbled and spontaneous – were a tool to make ‘‘political Yet others in Labor had sensed then-foreign affairs spokesman, The audio, exclusively obtained by seemingly contradicting Dastyari’s demands’’. danger, even if Dastyari had not. At Stephen Conroy, attacked Beijing’s Fairfax Media, suggests Dastyari’s claims to Australian Story. A hand grenade would also be the start of 2016, Huang began aggressive approach in the South comments on Beijing’s territorial ‘‘I held a press conference to talk lobbed from a different source. In pressing several politicians to help China Sea. China’s actions were ambitions were scripted and specifically about the issue of Safe what appeared a pointed reference with his stalled citizenship destabilising and ‘‘absurd’’, he said, delivered with intent. Schools,’’ he told the program. to Dastyari and Huang, US application. and Labor was open to the Dastyari even invoked President ‘‘And look, as you can imagine in ambassador John Berry expressed An ALP insider privy to the Australian Navy conducting Xi’s claim that China’s claims are these in these kinds of press shock on September 14 last year at requests from Huang told Fairfax freedom-of-navigation exercises in founded in ancient history. conference other questions get ‘‘the extent of the involvement of the Media he immediately suspected the area. ‘‘The Chinese integrity of its thrown at you. And look, let’s not Chinese government in Australian ASIO was blocking the application Huang responded in kind, telling borders is a matter for China,’’ pussy foot around this, I gave the politics.’’It was a few weeks after and resolved not to assist. ALP election fundraising officials he Dastyari said. wrong answer on a question about these comments, in October, that Abbott was also pressed by Huang would pull a promised $400,000 ‘‘And the role Australia should be the South China Sea.’’ Sam Dastyari headed south over to intervene, but privately told donation to the party. playing as a friend is to know that Another claim by Dastyari now Sydney’s Spit Bridge, past dozens of associates ASIO was worried about Dastyari insisted to Australian with the several thousand years of under extreme strain is his claim he sleek white yachts and towards a Huang’s relationship with the Story that he knew nothing about history, thousands of years of never twigged Huang was of interest nearby mansion, a $13 million edifice Chinese Communist Party. Abbott Huang’s disdain for Conroy’s history, where it is and isn’t our to national security agencies. with sweeping water views. indicated he would help Huang, but comments, nor the threat to pull place to be involved. And as a While the national media was in When Dastyari entered the house did nothing. $400,000. According to Dastyari, he supporter of China and a friend of the dark about what was actually via the rock-face door, Huang was Dastyari, by contrast, not only never discussed any foreign policy China the Australian Labor Party said at the press conference the waiting for him. told Huang he’d query the issues with Huang. needs to play an important role in story led to other revelations that Dastyari advised Mr Huang to citizenship delay, but did so multiple But Fairfax Media has confirmed maintaining that relationship. made it clear Huang was under switch off his mobile phone and place times. By the time Dastyari had that security officials have gathered ‘‘And the best way of maintaining suspicion. it out of reach. summoned Huang to attend the pre- that relationship is knowing when it Within hours of the news of the He then directed Huang to move election press conference, the is and isn’t our place to be involved.’’ press conference breaking, the ABC away from the phone to a location senator or his office had quizzed Two national officials aware of the revealed how ASIO had warned outside the house although still immigration officials on behalf of tape’s contents say not only does Labor and the coalition that some within the bounds of Huang’s large Huang on four separate it go much further than the Chinese donors were acting on property. Dastyari told Mr Huang occasions. comments previously behalf of the Chinese government. that his phones were most likely Each time, Dastyari attributed to Dastyari While the reports did not name being intercepted – nominating the or his office reported by explicitly Huang, it is known among several US as the likely culprit. faithfully back to endorsing China’s several MPs in Parliament House The revelations about Dastyari’s Huang that his historical claims that he was one of two men ASIO convenient account of events at the had fingered in briefings to the ALP press conference, and his willingness and Liberals back in 2015. to help Huang evade potential The reporting alarmed scrutiny, extend beyond the Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. He senator’s relationship with the truth. What Senator Dastyari had been given his own briefing from There are deeper issues at stake. told Chinese media the national security agency The Chinese government system of regarding the concerns it held about exerting influence abroad is a donors such as Huang. According to secretive system that relies on sources with first-hand knowledge denial. The revelations that have of events, Dastyari was warned by resurrected the Dastyari scandal Shorten through ‘‘back channels’’ suggest it is working. that ASIO had an interest in Huang and the senator should stay away. In comments also picked up

comments puts more heat on Dastyari

silly enough to take. What I should ‘‘the Chinese integrity of its borders Labor Party needs to play an import- Mr Huang has publicly stated his China’s decision,’’ Dastyari was repor- have done is taken it on notice or got is a matter for China’’. ant role in maintaining that relation- commitment to ‘‘unswervingly sup- ted as saying in a Chinese news outlet. them a proper answer. What I tried He then refers to China’s historic- ship and the best way of maintaining port the Chinese government’s posi- That quote, along with revelations to do was give an answer at a press al defence of its land claims, refer- that relationship is knowing when it tion to defend national sovereignty that Mr Huang, a generous Labor and conference. That was the wrong ring to how Australia and Labor is and isn’t our place to be involved.’’ and territorial integrity’’. coalition donor, had given $5000 to thing to do. I’m not the first ... mem- policy should approach the issue. Beijing’s claims to disputed territ- Before the tape recording Mr Dastyari to help him settle a legal ber of Parliament to take a question ‘‘And the role Australia should be ories such as the South China Sea are emerged, the only evidence that Sen- bill, led to Mr Dastyari’s resignation and give the wrong answer.’’ playing as a friend is to know that partly based on evidence it says ator Dastyari had made pro-Beijing from Labor’s frontbench on Septem- Senator Dastyari went on to say of with the several thousand years of shows ancient historical rights. comments was a single quote in a ber 7, 2016. the answer that he had ‘‘mumbled it history ... where it is and isn’t our Chinese President Xi Jinping has in- Chinese-language newspaper report. However, he was promoted again in and answered it incorrectly’’. place to be involved. sisted for several years that South ‘‘The South China Sea is China’s February to the position of deputy However, on the tape recording, ‘‘And as a supporter of China and China Sea islands ‘‘have been China’s own affair. On this issue, Australia Senate whip, and has sought to bury Senator Dastyari states clearly that a friend of China the Australian territory since ancient times’’. should remain neutral and respect the scandal that led to his resignation. NATAGE A009