AEC to refer Labor's Clare O'Neil to integrity taskforce over China links: The Australian
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The news: The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) confirmed that it is investigating claims that the Hubei Association was planning to send dozens of volunteers to Labor Minister Clare O’Neil and the Greens Party.
The context: The AEC has referred the allegations to its integrity taskforce, comprised of officials from several government agencies, with a spokesperson telling The Australian that the AEC was aware of the latest developments, after reports revealed the organisation had been planning to release more volunteers at polling booths to campaign for Labor and the Greens.
“They will review all current reporting, and other available information, as part of what they’re looking into,” a spokesperson told the masthead on Wednesday.
10 individuals reportedly linked to Hubei Association, an organisation associated with Beijing’s foreign influence operation were being recruited to staff O’Neil’s booths on election day.
Chap Chow, Chinese-Australian Labor Party member, told the paper that he was a “friend” of the minister that he had been working with Hubei to recruit volunteers for her Hotham electorate. However, after news reports emerged on Tuesday that Hubei volunteers were involved in Teal MP Monique Ryan’s Kooyong campaign (prompting an AEC probe), Chow told Hubei to cancel the request for 10 volunteers.
O’Neil strongly denied the claims on Wednesday, noting that while volunteers were offered by Hubei, her office declined the offer. O’Neil told Channel Seven’s Sunrise program: “I can be really clear with you there ... my staff and my office did not make any request for assistance from this organisation. The organisation offered assistance to the office, and my team did exactly the right thing, which is politely decline that offer of support.”
The Hubei Association has previously been accused of working with the United Front Work Department, an agency that works to champion the interests of the Chinese Communist Party.
The sources: The Australian, SMH
