NSW MP's Sydney home raided as ASIO probes China links

Counter-espionage agency ASIO is conducting a sweeping investigation into allegations Chinese government agents have infiltrated the office of a NSW Labor politician to influence Australian politics.

Multiple sources aware of the foreign interference investigation said it was scrutinising the office of NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane as part of one of the most significant inquiries in recent ASIO history.

As part of the inquiry, the federal police raided properties linked to Mr Moselmane on Friday morning, searching for evidence to support allegations of a Chinese government plot unfolding on Australian soil.

The sources said if sufficient evidence was found, the inquiry could ultimately result in an Australian and world first: a prosecution for foreign interference offences arising from an alleged covert Chinese Communist Party plot to influence a serving politician.

A dozen plain-clothed federal agents raided Mr Moselmane's two-storey house in Rockdale, in Sydney's south, at 6.30am and began conducting an extensive search for evidence.

An hour later, six forensics officers arrived and assisted with the search. At 9am, detectives searched three cars— an Audi, ute and Volvo— outside Mr Moselmane’s house.

Mr Moselmane's lawyer arrived during the search and was let into the home by federal agents. The agents searched the house and were seen carrying bags and folders.

The Attorney-General Christian Porter has authorised efforts by ASIO to gather evidence of any person suspected of seeking to influence Mr Moselmane or his staff on behalf of the Chinese government. The step could only be taken if there were reasonable grounds to suspect evidence may be at those properties.

Security expert Neil Fergus said: "ASIO would not take this step lightly."

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age is not suggesting the allegations involving Mr Moselmane and his office are proven, only that they are the subject of an ASIO and federal police inquiry.

The revelations of the ASIO probe are likely to trigger a political storm, given Labor has already weathered intense criticism over Mr Moselmane and his office's apparent disdain for bipartisan reforms to curb Chinese government interference in Australia and the upper house MP's unabashed praise of Beijing.

It is also likely to dramatically inflame tensions between China and Australia, which have plunged to a new low point following the federal government's calls for an inquiry into Beijing's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Politicians across the nation have been repeatedly warned by ASIO about safeguarding against foreign government influence efforts. The warnings were amplified after the 2018 resignation of Labor senator Sam Dastyari amid claims he'd been cultivated by CCP-aligned political donor Huang Xiangmo, who was expelled from Australia in late 2018 after ASIO warned he may be engaged in foreign interference.

Since 2018, Mr Moselmane and his part-time staffer John Zhang have attracted media and political scrutiny over their support for Chinese government positions and criticisms of Australian government policy.

Mr Moselmane resigned as assistant president of the NSW Legislative Council after the Herald and The Age revealed how he wrote in an essay for a Chinese University that "the obsolete scum of white Australia" had re-emerged, attacked Australia's "mainstream media" as anti-Chinese and praised Beijing's leadership during the coronavirus crisis. The February essay mirrored Chinese state propaganda and was translated into Chinese by his staffer, Mr Zhang.

It was only the most recent of many controversial pro-Beijing comments Mr Moselmane has made. Mr Moselmane controversially gave a speech in 2019 proclaiming a "new world order" was needed for China to reach its potential.

Mr Moselmane has taken nine privately-funded trips to China since entering Parliament in 2009. Disclosure records show his transport and hospitality costs were often met by Chinese government officials or agencies.

He appointed Mr Zhang to his parliamentary office as a part-time staffer at the beginning of 2019. Mr Zhang has, according to Chinese websites, attended a propaganda training course in 2013 run by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, which merged in 2018 with Chinese Communist Party's opaque influence agency, the United Front Work Department (UFWD). The precise nature of the course is not known.

The UFWD, in part, works to increase the CCP's influence in foreign political systems by employing legitimate means as well as covert, coercive methods.

Covert and coercive measures are outlawed under Australian counter-foreign interference laws.

Mr Zhang wrote in a 2014 blog how "to strengthen our [China's] political influence, we must have more politicians like Shaoquett with pro-China sentiments to be our friends.”

The ASIO probe is examining if covert activities or agents directed by the CCP may have sought to influence Mr Moselmane, Mr Zhang or others in Mr Moselmane's office and, if that can be proven, whether the politician and his staffers had any knowledge or on involvement.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-mp-s-sydney-home-raided-as-asio-probes-c...

This is huge.

As part of the inquiry, the federal police raided properties linked to Mr Moselmane on Friday morning, searching for evidence to support allegations of a Chinese government plot unfolding on Australian soil.

The sources said if sufficient evidence was found, the inquiry could ultimately result in an Australian and world first: a prosecution for foreign interference offences arising from an alleged covert Chinese Communist Party plot to influence a serving politician.

What about the politician?  Obviously this is a two way street and ALDI bags may have been involved..

Been warning yez for ages about foreigners getting involved in politics, with their weird non-Western ways.  To that peasant kind power is the only game in town.... only here can a peasant become the king... and you can take the boy out of the village....

What more proof is needed that Labor is a communist party?

Captain Nemo wrote on Jun 26^th, 2020 at 1:11pm:


Please don't sully such a gorgeous song with this turd.

if hes found guilt   charge him with treason...these guys get in power to work for AUSTRALIA....no one else..

I am sick of it  who the hell do they think pays them???...

they should not be allowed to just walk, away aka Sam Dastyari......wrong wrong wrong..

The coalition even have one slanty eyed ching chong as federal MP!

So dont play cutesy cods!

Was a member of various CCP organisations that she seemed to forget about!

Redmond Neck wrote on Jun 26^th, 2020 at 5:41pm:





yes I am aware....ONE you say.. how many bloody Lebanese you guys got  we know all about the shanky branch stacking   that goes on.....so we know how you manage to get these guys....look at sam the man Dastyari an Iranian

what was Lui charged and found guilty of red?

cods wrote on Jun 26^th, 2020 at 5:52pm:


Look idiot branch stacking goes on in both sides!

Not to mention brown paper bags of money from the ex mayor of Newcastle among others as well as ALDI bags of money on labors side

So stop playing cutsey ffs!

Gordon wrote on Jun 26^th, 2020 at 5:47pm:




Days later, the Herald and The Age revealed that Mr Moselmane had written a February 5 opinion piece for the East China Normal University warning that "the obsolete scum of white Australia" has re-emerged, attacked Australia’s "mainstream media" as anti-Chinese and praised Beijing’s leadership during the coronavirus crisis. Aspects of the essay mirrored Chinese state propaganda.

In it, Mr Moselmane endorsed the much-maligned praise by the World Health Organisation of "measures adopted by China ... to stop the virus from spreading".

"At the same time, the Australian government was hesitant, lacked direction, and responded slowly and confusingly," he wrote.

"We appreciate the serious attention, timely and effective countermeasures against the threat of coronavirus taken by the Chinese authorities and the Chinese community in Australia."

The Chinese government has been widely criticised by academics and health experts for downplaying the extent of the outbreak in Wuhan, the original epicentre of the pandemic, and silencing whistleblowers such as doctor Li Wenliang, who later died from the virus.




white scum... how noice....at least we now where we stand red.. he doesnt pull any punches when it comes to telling us what he thinks of Australians.


10 visits to China I wonder who paid for them all.

Redmond Neck wrote on Jun 26^th, 2020 at 5:57pm:



stop dodging red  how many make HEADLINES.???

no need to swear just because you have backed yourself into a corner.

John Smith wrote on Jun 26^th, 2020 at 5:55pm:



links.

Cat gotcha tongue eh cods ?

Redmond Neck wrote on Jun 26^th, 2020 at 6:12pm:




ooops are you drinking again red..

this looks like its going south..

Redmond Neck wrote on Jun 26^th, 2020 at 6:18pm:



oh dear I see we have our answer...

ok red you win.. I am out of here.

cods wrote on Jun 26^th, 2020 at 5:35pm:


As has Gladys Lui ...& those that put her up for it wrong wrong wrong.

I have a different take on the situation.  This is way too public for Moselmane be an actual Chinese agent.  He is no doubt an MP that favours China.   As I mentioned before, in any country, any government will have the tendency to keep MPs from different sides of spectrum.   Even in places like Iraq, or China, there are government representatives who are favorable to USA, and those who are against.  And as a government, we need to keep both, and use them in times of need.  Afterall, when it comes to international affair, things can change very quickly decade to decade, or even year to year. 

I think, this public trial of Moselmane is a part of overall narrative that the government want us the public to follow, and also as show of posture to the Chinese.    If he is a Chinese agent, then generally speaking, ASIO will investigate him in secret, and he be charged if found with reasonable evidence.   However, at the moment, as the articles suggest, they are still searching for 'potential' evidence, and that according to articles from today, he has not being charged yet. 

So... I really question if this move is more of a political in nature for the public consumption. 

cods wrote on Jun 29^th, 2020 at 2:21pm:



you realise he's not calling all Aussies white scum, right?

cods wrote on Jun 29^th, 2020 at 3:31pm:



those from the far right that have been making a come back lately. People like Bernardi, Christensen, even Hanson.

tickleandrose wrote on Jun 29^th, 2020 at 5:18pm:




maybe  but dont forget America  read its calendar different to us..

we say  day first month second year third.

america say.. month first day second year third....

so trumps praise would read 4th jan 2020.. so well before Moselmanes comments..and when his opinion changed on China rather rapidly.

we cant forget the cosying up to China and Chinese businessmen by labor MPs   

and neither we should.

Frank wrote on Jun 29^th, 2020 at 7:04pm:



you keep telling yourself that numbnuts

cods wrote on Jun 29^th, 2020 at 6:56pm:


You need to read the CNN link again.  It states, April, March in the dates.