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| Former Labor MP denies cultivating Chinese billionaire to secure political future | Former Labor MP denies cultivating Chinese billionaire to secure political future |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A former Labor MP has denied cultivating the Chinese billionaire and banned donor Huang Xiangmo to boost his own political prospects, and rejected allegations he used him to help meet specific fundraising targets set by the former New South Wales Labor boss. | A former Labor MP has denied cultivating the Chinese billionaire and banned donor Huang Xiangmo to boost his own political prospects, and rejected allegations he used him to help meet specific fundraising targets set by the former New South Wales Labor boss. |
| Ernest Wong, a former NSW state MP, continued his evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption for a third day on Tuesday. | Ernest Wong, a former NSW state MP, continued his evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption for a third day on Tuesday. |
| He was again accused of “constructing a story” and giving “false and misleading evidence” while denying allegations he sold Bill Shorten’s table at a 2015 Labor fundraising dinner to Huang for $100,000. The evidence suggests Huang dropped off $100,000 cash to NSW Labor headquarters in an Aldi shopping bag several weeks after the dinner. | He was again accused of “constructing a story” and giving “false and misleading evidence” while denying allegations he sold Bill Shorten’s table at a 2015 Labor fundraising dinner to Huang for $100,000. The evidence suggests Huang dropped off $100,000 cash to NSW Labor headquarters in an Aldi shopping bag several weeks after the dinner. |
| Wong also rejected allegations that he covered up Huang’s alleged unlawful donation by arranging for a series of “straw donors” to sign false records declaring they had made $5,000 donations. | Wong also rejected allegations that he covered up Huang’s alleged unlawful donation by arranging for a series of “straw donors” to sign false records declaring they had made $5,000 donations. |
| Former Labor MP denies telling key Icac witness to 'keep his mouth shut' | Former Labor MP denies telling key Icac witness to 'keep his mouth shut' |
| The counsel assisting, Scott Robertson, said: “In your evidence before this public inquiry what you’ve done is you’ve constructed a story that tries to match what you think is the evidence this commission has, but in doing so you’ve given false and misleading evidence to this commission.” | The counsel assisting, Scott Robertson, said: “In your evidence before this public inquiry what you’ve done is you’ve constructed a story that tries to match what you think is the evidence this commission has, but in doing so you’ve given false and misleading evidence to this commission.” |
| Wong denied constructing a story. “Remember that I have also many events, so many things happening, that I wouldn’t be able to have a clear recollection,” he said. | Wong denied constructing a story. “Remember that I have also many events, so many things happening, that I wouldn’t be able to have a clear recollection,” he said. |
| Later on Tuesday morning, lawyers for the now-suspended NSW Labor boss, Kaila Murnain, asked Wong about his relationship with Huang. Huang is barred from donating in NSW due to his property developer links, but he remains a prolific donor elsewhere. | Later on Tuesday morning, lawyers for the now-suspended NSW Labor boss, Kaila Murnain, asked Wong about his relationship with Huang. Huang is barred from donating in NSW due to his property developer links, but he remains a prolific donor elsewhere. |
| He has donated to Labor since 2013, the inquiry heard, the same year Wong took his seat in NSW’s upper house. | He has donated to Labor since 2013, the inquiry heard, the same year Wong took his seat in NSW’s upper house. |
| Huang, who has since been denied re-entry to Australia on character grounds, was the long-term chairman of a peak Chinese Communist Party-linked lobby group, the Australian Council for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China. The former senator Sam Dastyari told the commission he now believed Huang may be an “agent of influence”. | Huang, who has since been denied re-entry to Australia on character grounds, was the long-term chairman of a peak Chinese Communist Party-linked lobby group, the Australian Council for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China. The former senator Sam Dastyari told the commission he now believed Huang may be an “agent of influence”. |
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| Wong was asked whether he had “cultivated” Huang as a donor and political asset. | Wong was asked whether he had “cultivated” Huang as a donor and political asset. |
| The pair spoke and met regularly, the commission has heard. Wong was asked whether he saw Huang as a “significant political asset” that he believed would help “secure your political future”. | The pair spoke and met regularly, the commission has heard. Wong was asked whether he saw Huang as a “significant political asset” that he believed would help “secure your political future”. |
| “No, I never cultivated Mr Huang,” Wong responded. “As I said before it’s always the party officials or the members themselves who approach Mr Huang ... not me.” | “No, I never cultivated Mr Huang,” Wong responded. “As I said before it’s always the party officials or the members themselves who approach Mr Huang ... not me.” |
| Wong was then asked whether he was working to specific fundraising targets in 2015, set by Jamie Clements, the then NSW Labor general secretary. Initially he said he could not recall, but later agreed he was working to fundraising targets that Clements had set to fund the campaign of the state Labor MP Chris Minns. In later evidence, Wong clarified that he had “definitely not” worked to fundraising targets set by Clements for the Minns campaign. | |
| Wong said he could not recall whether there was a $100,000 target on the night of the 2015 fundraising dinner. Murnain’s barrister, Ian Neil, SC, alleged Wong had needed Huang to help him reach the target. | Wong said he could not recall whether there was a $100,000 target on the night of the 2015 fundraising dinner. Murnain’s barrister, Ian Neil, SC, alleged Wong had needed Huang to help him reach the target. |
| “Definitely not, definitely not,” Wong said. “In all my previous fundraising … $60,000 is pretty easy for me to raise from the community. I wouldn’t ask Mr Huang to donate and I know he wouldn’t be able to donate.” | “Definitely not, definitely not,” Wong said. “In all my previous fundraising … $60,000 is pretty easy for me to raise from the community. I wouldn’t ask Mr Huang to donate and I know he wouldn’t be able to donate.” |
| The inquiry continues before chief commissioner, Peter Hall. | The inquiry continues before chief commissioner, Peter Hall. |
| Independent Commission Against Corruption | Independent Commission Against Corruption |
| Labor party | Labor party |
| New South Wales | New South Wales |
| New South Wales politics | New South Wales politics |
| news | news |
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