Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Just to make it clear, as I make my contribution to this debate, can I assure the chamber and those who are listening that I have never received a donation from a Chinese company that has associations with the Chinese government. I also want to make it clear, by way of disclosure, that never have I personally received any money from a Chinese company associated with the Chinese government. I am aware that not all senators in this chamber can say that, because we know Senator Dastyari clearly did receive money for his personal use from a Chinese company associated with the Chinese government. Can I also make it clear that I love investment by foreign companies, by foreign investors, in Australia, because we need foreign investment to create wealth and activity and jobs for Australians. So do not ever suggest to me that I am anti Chinese investment in proper investment venues within Australia.

However, I am concerned that members of the Labor Party seem to think it is okay to receive personal donations from Chinese companies associated with the Chinese government—personal donations not only for campaigning purposes but also for purely personal purposes. That concerns me. We remember the celebrated case of a Labor politician who ended up being convicted of fraud. He was defended for most of the duration of that incident by the New South Wales Labor Party, the secretary-general of which at the time was Mr Sam Dastyari. We kept wondering where all of that money was coming from to pay the legal bills of Mr Craig Thomson, because they were substantial. We understood they were being paid by the Labor Party, but one can only wonder where that money was actually coming from. I agree, and I think the Prime Minister is on record saying this as well, that there should be some reform of the political donation system. In fact, the Special Minister of State has asked the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to look into that. Mr Turnbull is quoted as raising some issues, and I think they are sensible issues.

It is not only the Labor Party that is involved, of course. I see Senator Xenophon over there. He gets a very, very substantial donation from the guy who owns the Optical Superstore. That is the optometrist I used for ages, because they did not give bad service. I only bought these new spectacles a few months ago, and I have since brought another pair from the Optical Superstore. But, when I learnt that the profit from my consultation and from my purchase of these spectacles was going to one of my political opponents, I told the Optical Superstore, 'Thanks for your service. I appreciate what you've done for me, but I will no longer be dealing with you. I will no longer be dealing with you because a substantial part of every $500 I pay for my glasses is profit.' I am told by people who know that you can get these spectacles for about $10. They are made in China, they are very cheap, but in Australia I think I paid almost $500. That is business. I do not mind people making profits at my expense, but I do object when I find that their donations are funding political campaigns against me.

Then we get onto the Greens political party. The largest single donation ever in the history of Australian political campaigns was given to the Greens political party by a Mr Graeme Wood. Those of us who were around—and there are not many left—remember that Mr Wood was trying to set up an online newspaper which he wanted tax-deductible status for. Do you remember that? It all happened just about the time the Greens got this $1.6 million donation.