The SMH has reported:
Meanwhile it remains the case, as this writer says, that NSW ICAC lost credibility when it failed to pursue Zhu Minshen donations to NSW Liberals, Zhu's business with the NSW LPAB & grant of law school license that followed donations
SEE ALSO
The $2000 Top Education donation to NSW Labor that 'vanished'
By Sean Nicholls
Updated September 9, 2016 — 9.38amfirst published at 12.15am
Advertisement
The whereabouts of a cheque for $2000 donated by the Chinese businessman at the centre of a political storm surrounding Labor senator Sam Dastyari remains a mystery more than a year later.
Minshen Zhu donated the money, via his company Top Education Group, on March 17 last year, according to NSW election funding records.
The $2000 donation was for the annual Chinese Friends of Labor event held at The Eight restaurant in Sydney's Chinatown four days earlier, on March 13, and attended by more than 600 guests.
A return lodged with the NSW Electoral Commission bearing Dr Zhu's name shows the donation was for the Labor Party's campaign for the March 28 state election.
S
However, a note on the disclosure states: "Cheque received by ALP but hasn't been banked yet."
A NSW Labor spokeswoman said the cheque was never received by the party office and as such Labor has never disclosed it as a donation.
The event's organiser, NSW Labor MLC Ernest Wong, told Fairfax Media he had "no knowledge of that at all" while a spokesman for Top Education said the company "isn't commenting on this matter".
A spokesman for Senator Dastyari said on Friday: "There is no link between this and the payment for Senator Dastyari's travel overspend. The request and payment from Top Education was made months after the NSW State Election - as declared on Senator Dastyari's pecuniary interest register.
Senator Dastyari quit the opposition front bench on Wednesday after disclosing to Parliament that Top Education paid a $1670 debt he owed the Department of Finance in overspent travel budget.
He apologised but has refused to explain why he asked the donor to pay his debt, other than to say he did not want to pay it himself.
Fairfax Media can reveal that Top Education on Wednesday was preparing what Dr Zhu described as a comprehensive statement on the matter, just hours before Senator Dastyari quit.
Records show the finance department invoiced Senator Dastyari for the $1670 travel debt on April 8 last year.
Nine days later, Dr Zhu's company made another donation to the NSW ALP, this time for $1000.
The April 17 donation was for a major fundraising dinner at the Golden Century restaurant in Sydney on March 27 – one day before the NSW state election.
The event was hosted by Senator Dastyari and his fellow Labor senator Stephen Conroy spoke at the dinner.
Dr Zhu's disclosure to the NSW Electoral Commission records the donation as being "Fundraising for NSW state election – Sam Dastyari". It was also declared by Labor.
Senator Dastyari said he is unaware of the $2000 donation for the Chinese Friends of Labor event but did not say if he attended the dinner.
One of NSW’s anti-corruption watchdog commissioners has taken an extraordinary swipe at the Prime Minister Scott Morrison, labelling critics of the agency “buffoons” for ill-informed views.
Stephen Rushton, SC, one of three Independent Commission Against Corruption commissioners, told a NSW parliamentary inquiry on Monday that describing the ICAC as a kangaroo court was offensive, misleading and untrue.
Meanwhile it remains the case, as this writer says, that NSW ICAC lost credibility when it failed to pursue Zhu Minshen donations to NSW Liberals, Zhu's business with the NSW LPAB & grant of law school license that followed donations
That loss of credibility has been made worse by recent ICAC findings. News.com.au reported:
Top Group and founder Zhu Minshen (deceased) have been very much part of the Ernest Wong story but Peter Hall and ICAC have refused to commence any investigation into what has been disclosed to ICAC during the hearings that have led to the corruption finding against Ernest Wong:
Peter Hall QC and ICAC have been provided information about Top Group by Dr Amen Lee, but ICAC will still not call Zhu Minshen
Hall and ICAC have been especially silent on the matter of Top Group's license to issue law degrees issued by the NSW LPAB:
SEE ALSO
The $2000 Top Education donation to NSW Labor that 'vanished'
By Sean Nicholls
Updated September 9, 2016 — 9.38amfirst published at 12.15am
Advertisement
The whereabouts of a cheque for $2000 donated by the Chinese businessman at the centre of a political storm surrounding Labor senator Sam Dastyari remains a mystery more than a year later.
Minshen Zhu donated the money, via his company Top Education Group, on March 17 last year, according to NSW election funding records.
The $2000 donation was for the annual Chinese Friends of Labor event held at The Eight restaurant in Sydney's Chinatown four days earlier, on March 13, and attended by more than 600 guests.
A return lodged with the NSW Electoral Commission bearing Dr Zhu's name shows the donation was for the Labor Party's campaign for the March 28 state election.
S
However, a note on the disclosure states: "Cheque received by ALP but hasn't been banked yet."
A NSW Labor spokeswoman said the cheque was never received by the party office and as such Labor has never disclosed it as a donation.
The event's organiser, NSW Labor MLC Ernest Wong, told Fairfax Media he had "no knowledge of that at all" while a spokesman for Top Education said the company "isn't commenting on this matter".
A spokesman for Senator Dastyari said on Friday: "There is no link between this and the payment for Senator Dastyari's travel overspend. The request and payment from Top Education was made months after the NSW State Election - as declared on Senator Dastyari's pecuniary interest register.
Senator Dastyari quit the opposition front bench on Wednesday after disclosing to Parliament that Top Education paid a $1670 debt he owed the Department of Finance in overspent travel budget.
He apologised but has refused to explain why he asked the donor to pay his debt, other than to say he did not want to pay it himself.
Fairfax Media can reveal that Top Education on Wednesday was preparing what Dr Zhu described as a comprehensive statement on the matter, just hours before Senator Dastyari quit.
Records show the finance department invoiced Senator Dastyari for the $1670 travel debt on April 8 last year.
Nine days later, Dr Zhu's company made another donation to the NSW ALP, this time for $1000.
The April 17 donation was for a major fundraising dinner at the Golden Century restaurant in Sydney on March 27 – one day before the NSW state election.
The event was hosted by Senator Dastyari and his fellow Labor senator Stephen Conroy spoke at the dinner.
Dr Zhu's disclosure to the NSW Electoral Commission records the donation as being "Fundraising for NSW state election – Sam Dastyari". It was also declared by Labor.
Senator Dastyari said he is unaware of the $2000 donation for the Chinese Friends of Labor event but did not say if he attended the dinner.
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