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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…]
The Senate has voted to confirm the agreement between the Coalition and the ALP on the rotation of senators following the double dissolution election.
As has occurred on each of the previous six occasions when double dissolutions have been held (1914, 1951, 1974, 1975, 1983 and 1987), the first six senators elected in each state have received six-year terms, whilst the second group of six will serve for three years. The rotation is required under Section 13 of the Constitution.
The major parties rejected the recount method whereby the Senate votes are recounted as if it was a half-Senate election. This method would have meant that the Liberal and Labor Parties each lose one long-term senator (Scott Ryan and Deborah O’Neill) in favour of minor parties (Derryn Hinch and Lee Rhiannon). [Read more…]