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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/08/minister-faces-questions-over-private-beijing-visit-for-donors-mining-deal
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| Minister faces questions over private Beijing visit for donor's mining deal | Minister faces questions over private Beijing visit for donor's mining deal |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A federal government minister has admitted to flying to Beijing where a friend and Liberal party donor finalised a mining deal. | A federal government minister has admitted to flying to Beijing where a friend and Liberal party donor finalised a mining deal. |
| A spokesman for Stuart Robert has told News Corp the then assistant defence minister attended in a “private capacity” a signing ceremony with Nimrod Resources’ Paul Marks and Communist party officials who run the Chinese government-owned company MinMetals. | A spokesman for Stuart Robert has told News Corp the then assistant defence minister attended in a “private capacity” a signing ceremony with Nimrod Resources’ Paul Marks and Communist party officials who run the Chinese government-owned company MinMetals. |
| Related: Malcolm Turnbull backs away from a GST increase – politics live | Related: Malcolm Turnbull backs away from a GST increase – politics live |
| Robert was on leave and paid for the trip, which came to light when MinMetals posted photos of the meeting on its website. | Robert was on leave and paid for the trip, which came to light when MinMetals posted photos of the meeting on its website. |
| The foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, said she understood Robert’s visit was made in a private capacity. “And of course, that’s perfectly acceptable,” she told the Seven Network on Monday. “I don’t know how you can make a secret visit to China anyway.“China knows a great deal of what is going on when it comes to its borders.” | The foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, said she understood Robert’s visit was made in a private capacity. “And of course, that’s perfectly acceptable,” she told the Seven Network on Monday. “I don’t know how you can make a secret visit to China anyway.“China knows a great deal of what is going on when it comes to its borders.” |
| Bishop said questions over ministerial conduct where a matter for the prime minister, but noted that “visits with Communist party officials are commonplace in China”. | |
| Liberal senator Simon Birmingham noted the trip occurred quite some time ago. | Liberal senator Simon Birmingham noted the trip occurred quite some time ago. |
| “I’m sure Mr Robert will have something to say in terms of making sure that it is clearly understood that it was a private capacity and the way in which that occurred,” he told Sky News. | “I’m sure Mr Robert will have something to say in terms of making sure that it is clearly understood that it was a private capacity and the way in which that occurred,” he told Sky News. |