4 years ago
PM ACCUSED OF IGNORING SECURITY WARNINGS TO WIN MARGINAL SEAT
SENATOR THE HON PENNY WONG
Today there are extraordinary reports that senior Liberals were warned by security agencies that concerns about Gladys Liu’s links to the Chinese Communist Party made it “unwise” to preselect her.
One Government MP is quoted: “There should have been concerns when she was being chosen to stand as a candidate and I believe those concerns were ignored.”
These reports raise serious questions as to whether the Prime Minister and the Liberal Party put winning marginal seats ahead of Australia’s national security.
This goes far beyond whether an interview was clumsy. It goes directly to the national interest.
In light of these reports, the Prime Minister must urgently demonstrate to the Australian people what steps he took to ensure that Gladys Liu is in fact a fit and proper person to sit in the Australian Parliament.
It is in the interests of Chinese-Australian communities and our inclusive democracy for these specific concerns to be addressed.
The only person linking these specific and serious concerns about Ms Liu to the entire Chinese-Australian population is Scott Morrison and he should stop.
All parliamentarians must be able to provide assurance that they have no conflict of interest in serving the Australian people.
One Government MP is quoted: “There should have been concerns when she was being chosen to stand as a candidate and I believe those concerns were ignored.”
These reports raise serious questions as to whether the Prime Minister and the Liberal Party put winning marginal seats ahead of Australia’s national security.
This goes far beyond whether an interview was clumsy. It goes directly to the national interest.
In light of these reports, the Prime Minister must urgently demonstrate to the Australian people what steps he took to ensure that Gladys Liu is in fact a fit and proper person to sit in the Australian Parliament.
It is in the interests of Chinese-Australian communities and our inclusive democracy for these specific concerns to be addressed.
The only person linking these specific and serious concerns about Ms Liu to the entire Chinese-Australian population is Scott Morrison and he should stop.
All parliamentarians must be able to provide assurance that they have no conflict of interest in serving the Australian people.