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Senator Sam Dastyari has resigned from the ALP frontbench.
The resignation comes a day after an embarrassing press conference over Dastyari’s solicitation of a payment of an electorate office bill from Top Education Institute, a Chinese-connected company and ALP donor.
Dastyari was Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs and Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate. [Read more…]
Labor Senator Sam Dastyari today regretted and apologised for his actions in seeking payment of an electorate office bill from a foreign company.
Dastyari, 33, sought payment of $1,670.82 of an electorate office travel expenses bill from the Chinese company Top Education Institute. He declared the payment on his pecuniary interest register. [Read more…]
The issue of foreign political donations is back in the news with the revelation that NSW ALP Senator Sam Dastyari sought and received payment of expenses by a Chinese company.
In a statement to the Senate today, Dastyari confirmed information on his register of pecuniary interests. He said a bill of $1,670.82 for electorate staff travel was paid by Top Education Pty Ltd.
Dastyari said he should have paid the money himself. He said he had donated a similar amount to charity. [Read more…]
This table shows the election funding payments made to political parties and candidates following the 2016 federal election.
Funding was made in two payments. The first payment was made on July 27. The table below shows the final figure following a second payment made this week.
A candidate or Senate group needs four per cent of the primary vote to be eligible for election funding. The amount is calculated by multiplying the number of votes obtained by the current funding rate.
The funding rate for the 2016 election was 262.784 cents per House of Representatives and Senate vote.
Funding was provided to 24 parties and groups, compared to 12 at the 2013 election. There were 24 independent candidates who received funding, compared to 9 in 2013.
Just over $62.7 million was distributed to parties and candidates. [Read more…]