Top Education Group share price crashes below HK 0.04, to a new low of HK 0.035; Paul Brereton's NACC still refusing to conduct an immediate public inquiry into TEQSA and the NSW LPAB both of which enabled the HKEX listing, and despite PwC's involvement in this scandal that has cost investors, taxpayers and law students

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

Top Education Group share price crashed below HK 0.04, to a new low of HK 0.035 during the morning trading session on the HKEX today, 17 January 2023.

Meanwhile Paul Brereton's NACC is  still refusing to conduct an immediate public inquiry into TEQSA and the NSW LPAB both of which enabled  the HKEX listing, and despite PwC's involvement in this scandal that has cost investors, taxpayers and law students .

TO BE READ WITH 

Paul Brereton of the NACC has consultants in his sights, but silent about PwC and Top Education Group, despite Education Minister Jason Clare complaining that PwC's failure to disclose TEQSA - Top Education Group conflict 'completely unacceptable'

Sunday, November 5, 2023

NACC public hearings of misconduct at the NSW LPAB and TEQSA with regards the anomalies in their business with the Communist Party China linked Zhu Minshen and his Top Education Group necessary given NACC' chief Paul Brereton's NSW Supreme Court antecedents

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

                           The Hon Paul Brereton AM RFD SC

As previously reported the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) chief Paul Brereton is conflicted with regards the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board and its business with the Communist Party China linked Zhu Minshen, his Top Group. The Tertiary Education Quality And Standards Agency is also part of that scandal that continues to unfold even now.

The conflict arises given the fact that the NSW LPAB is chaired by the Chief Justice NSW, and its members often  include sitting judges, all or any of whom could have served with  Brereton when he served at the NSW Supreme Court. 

Given the above and for other reasons public hearings are necessary to esnure that NACC gains and maintains public confidence. 

TO BE READ WITH 

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Only public hearings of a Federal ICAC can uncover misconduct at quasi-judicial bodies such as the NSW LPAB, and the anomalies in its business with the Communist Party China linked Zhu Minshen and his Top Education Group

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

While debate continues about the extent to which the proposed Federal ICAC's inquiries ought be public, the mystery that continues to surround the apparent misconduct at  the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board and the anomalies in its dealings with the Communist Party China linked Zhu Minshen and his Top Education Group serve to provide a useful case study  for the argument that the inquiries ought to be public. 

The NSW LPAB is a quasi-judicial body which is chaired by the Chief Justice Of NSW. As detailed in the story below, the secrecy that it is afforded given its status allowed it to grant Zhu Minshen favours never granted any other individual and private entity. In this case the favours were granted despite Zhu's Communist Party China ties, and the political donation scandal that he was embroiled in.

TO BE READ WITH 

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Did the Law Council Australia and the NSW LPAB ignore ASIO advice in granting Zhu Minshen the right to grant LLB degrees, and entree into Australia's legal system?

by Ganesh Sahathevan

From left to right :Prof Eugene Clark, Hon George Brandis, 

Dr Minshen Zhu.Politicians constantly change their position

on matters and their allegiances, so Brandis being critical

of Zhu while being happy to be photographed with him is not

inconsistent, for a politician. 

AAP reported in November 2019:

Retired ASIO chief Duncan Lewis has accused the Chinese government of using 'insidious' foreign interference operations to 'take over' Australia's political system.

Anyone in political office could be a target, the former spy chief told the political journal Quarterly Essay in an interview to be published next week.

Mr Lewis claimed Chinese authorities were trying to 'place themselves in a position of advantage' by in political, social, business and media circles, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday, citing the interview.

Despite that warning, the NSW LPAB renewed Zhu Minshen's  right to grant LLB degrees, and entree into Australia's legal system:

Zhu Minshen announces that NSW LPAB review "went smoothly": AG NSW Mark Speakman and officers unconcerned by Clive Hamilton's disclosures of threats, intimidation and defiance of AFP directives ,share price collapse

In fact, questions about Zhu Minshen were raised by the former Commonwealth Attorney General George Brandis as early as 2016:


Former AG George Brandis raised questions about Zhu Minshen and Top Education Group which remain unanswered, but Zhu and Top are today even more entrenched in the NSW and Australian legal system, thanks to the NSW LPAB and its chairman the CJ NSW, and the AG NSW

Despite all of the above, the Law Council Australia as well as NSW LPAB seem determined to continue supporting Zhu and Top Group:


Zhu Minshen's new Chinese website says the Law Council of Australia "officially approved" Top Education Instituter's application to issue law degrees

The NSW LPAB and Law Council Australia may  attempt  to deflect questions about all of the above by asserting that they are not required by law to seek the advice of ASIO when determining who may or many not grant law degrees in Australia. If they did, and even if the answer is legally correct, it would demonstrate poor judgment; entree into the legal system is always a matter of national security:

“....perhaps the only accredited degree program in Australia that counts agitating for a foreign power towards its qualifications": Why the Law Soc Australia & NSW LPAB's business with Zhu Minshen is a matter of national security

END 

Retiring ASIO boss issues a chilling warning that China seeks to 'take over' Australia

• Retired ASIO boss Duncan Lewis has warned of Chinese takeover of Australia
• Mr Lewis has claimed Chinese authorities wanted to be in 'position of advantage'
• His comments come after Liberal MPs were denied visas to travel to China 

By AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

PUBLISHED: 07:52 AEDT, 22 November 2019 | UPDATED: 11:30 AEDT, 23 December 2019

Retired ASIO chief Duncan Lewis has accused the Chinese government of using 'insidious' foreign interference operations to 'take over' Australia's political system.

Anyone in political office could be a target, the former spy chief told the political journal Quarterly Essay in an interview to be published next week.

Mr Lewis claimed Chinese authorities were trying to 'place themselves in a position of advantage' by in political, social, business and media circles, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday, citing the interview.

'Espionage and foreign interference is insidious. Its effects might not present for decades and by that time it's too late,' he said.

'You wake up one day and find decisions made in our country that are not in the interests of our country.'

In the interview, Mr Lewis warns covert foreign intrusion into the heart of Australian politics is 'something we need to be very, very careful about'.

His remarks come after Liberal MPs Andrew Hastie and Senator James Paterson were denied visas to travel to China for a study tour after they criticised its human rights recordIn an opinion piece published in The Australian on Thursday, senior Chinese diplomat Wang Xining accused the MPs of having double standards and showing disrespect.

'It is cynical that in a country boasting freedom of speech, different views from another nation are constantly and intentionally obliterated,' Mr Wang wrote.

+7

In the interview, Mr Lewis warns covert foreign intrusion into the heart of Australian politics is 'something we need to be very, very careful about' (pictured is a reeducation centre in Xinjiang province)

Posted by Ganesh Sahathevan at 5:00 AM 

NACC public hearings of misconduct at the NSW LPAB and TEQSA with regards the anomalies in their business with the Communist Party China linked Zhu Minshen and his Top Education Group necessary given NACC' chief Paul Brereton's NSW Supreme Court antecedents

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

                           The Hon Paul Brereton AM RFD SC

As previously reported the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) chief Paul Brereton is conflicted with regards the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board and its business with the Communist Party China linked Zhu Minshen, his Top Group. The Tertiary Education Quality And Standards Agency is also part of that scandal that continues to unfold even now.

The conflict arises given the fact that the NSW LPAB is chaired by the Chief Justice NSW, and its members often  include sitting judges, all or any of whom could have served with  Brereton when he served at the NSW Supreme Court. 

Given the above and for other reasons public hearings are necessary to esnure that NACC gains and maintains public confidence. 

TO BE READ WITH 

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Only public hearings of a Federal ICAC can uncover misconduct at quasi-judicial bodies such as the NSW LPAB, and the anomalies in its business with the Communist Party China linked Zhu Minshen and his Top Education Group

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

While debate continues about the extent to which the proposed Federal ICAC's inquiries ought be public, the mystery that continues to surround the apparent misconduct at  the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board and the anomalies in its dealings with the Communist Party China linked Zhu Minshen and his Top Education Group serve to provide a useful case study  for the argument that the inquiries ought to be public. 

The NSW LPAB is a quasi-judicial body which is chaired by the Chief Justice Of NSW. As detailed in the story below, the secrecy that it is afforded given its status allowed it to grant Zhu Minshen favours never granted any other individual and private entity. In this case the favours were granted despite Zhu's Communist Party China ties, and the political donation scandal that he was embroiled in.

TO BE READ WITH 

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Did the Law Council Australia and the NSW LPAB ignore ASIO advice in granting Zhu Minshen the right to grant LLB degrees, and entree into Australia's legal system?

by Ganesh Sahathevan

From left to right :Prof Eugene Clark, Hon George Brandis, 

Dr Minshen Zhu.Politicians constantly change their position

on matters and their allegiances, so Brandis being critical

of Zhu while being happy to be photographed with him is not

inconsistent, for a politician. 

AAP reported in November 2019:

Retired ASIO chief Duncan Lewis has accused the Chinese government of using 'insidious' foreign interference operations to 'take over' Australia's political system.

Anyone in political office could be a target, the former spy chief told the political journal Quarterly Essay in an interview to be published next week.

Mr Lewis claimed Chinese authorities were trying to 'place themselves in a position of advantage' by in political, social, business and media circles, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday, citing the interview.

Despite that warning, the NSW LPAB renewed Zhu Minshen's  right to grant LLB degrees, and entree into Australia's legal system:

Zhu Minshen announces that NSW LPAB review "went smoothly": AG NSW Mark Speakman and officers unconcerned by Clive Hamilton's disclosures of threats, intimidation and defiance of AFP directives ,share price collapse

In fact, questions about Zhu Minshen were raised by the former Commonwealth Attorney General George Brandis as early as 2016:


Former AG George Brandis raised questions about Zhu Minshen and Top Education Group which remain unanswered, but Zhu and Top are today even more entrenched in the NSW and Australian legal system, thanks to the NSW LPAB and its chairman the CJ NSW, and the AG NSW

Despite all of the above, the Law Council Australia as well as NSW LPAB seem determined to continue supporting Zhu and Top Group:


Zhu Minshen's new Chinese website says the Law Council of Australia "officially approved" Top Education Instituter's application to issue law degrees

The NSW LPAB and Law Council Australia may  attempt  to deflect questions about all of the above by asserting that they are not required by law to seek the advice of ASIO when determining who may or many not grant law degrees in Australia. If they did, and even if the answer is legally correct, it would demonstrate poor judgment; entree into the legal system is always a matter of national security:

“....perhaps the only accredited degree program in Australia that counts agitating for a foreign power towards its qualifications": Why the Law Soc Australia & NSW LPAB's business with Zhu Minshen is a matter of national security

END 

Retiring ASIO boss issues a chilling warning that China seeks to 'take over' Australia

• Retired ASIO boss Duncan Lewis has warned of Chinese takeover of Australia
• Mr Lewis has claimed Chinese authorities wanted to be in 'position of advantage'
• His comments come after Liberal MPs were denied visas to travel to China 

By AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

PUBLISHED: 07:52 AEDT, 22 November 2019 | UPDATED: 11:30 AEDT, 23 December 2019

Retired ASIO chief Duncan Lewis has accused the Chinese government of using 'insidious' foreign interference operations to 'take over' Australia's political system.

Anyone in political office could be a target, the former spy chief told the political journal Quarterly Essay in an interview to be published next week.

Mr Lewis claimed Chinese authorities were trying to 'place themselves in a position of advantage' by in political, social, business and media circles, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday, citing the interview.

'Espionage and foreign interference is insidious. Its effects might not present for decades and by that time it's too late,' he said.

'You wake up one day and find decisions made in our country that are not in the interests of our country.'

In the interview, Mr Lewis warns covert foreign intrusion into the heart of Australian politics is 'something we need to be very, very careful about'.

His remarks come after Liberal MPs Andrew Hastie and Senator James Paterson were denied visas to travel to China for a study tour after they criticised its human rights recordIn an opinion piece published in The Australian on Thursday, senior Chinese diplomat Wang Xining accused the MPs of having double standards and showing disrespect.

'It is cynical that in a country boasting freedom of speech, different views from another nation are constantly and intentionally obliterated,' Mr Wang wrote.

+7

In the interview, Mr Lewis warns covert foreign intrusion into the heart of Australian politics is 'something we need to be very, very careful about' (pictured is a reeducation centre in Xinjiang province)

In 2015 Labor said nothing against then ASIO chief Duncan Lewis, who was quite likely in breach of the law, warning MPs personally about criticising Islam - In 2023 Labor says Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo texting a senior Liberal is a grave error, lacking in professionalism , a sackable offence

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

                                            Clare O'Neil was already in Parliament in 2015

As reported by the ABC on 25 September 2023:

The secretary of the Home Affairs Department, Mike Pezzullo, has been asked to step aside as an investigation is conducted into text messages he is alleged to have sent to a Liberal Party powerbroker.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have published the texts said to have been sent over a number of years between Mr Pezzullo and Scott Briggs, an influential figure within the Liberal Party.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil on Monday morning asked Mr Pezzullo to stand aside while the messages are investigated by the Australian public service commissioner.

Funnily enough, Clare O'Neil and other Labor MPs had nothing to say when former ASIO chief Duncan Lewis contacted MPs personally to warn them about being crtical of Islam. Lewis quite likely breached the law by doing so.

TO BE READ WITH 

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

ASIO STRIKES BACK via the Canberra Press Gallery- Evidence from Rosie Lewis in The Australian,24 December 2015.Young Rosie has provided more reasons for Duncan Lewis' sacking

by Ganesh Sahathevan 

Readers are referred to Rosie Lewis's story in The Australian ,24 December 2015 (copied & pasted below)  and in particular this part:

Charged with writing volumes two and three of the spy agency’s official history, Dr Blaxland (who does not have legal qualifcations) rejected suggestions from former Liberal­ minister Neil Brown and a blogger that Mr Lewis had breached­ sections of the ASIO Act by phoning Liberal backbenchers about their comments on Islam.

The above ,what precedes it, and what follows, which includes a defence of Duncan Lewis by Arthur Sinodinis, who encouraged Mr Lewis to continue expressing his views, shows clearly that Rosie Lewis's story is simple damage control.It is not news, and it is not investigative. I would be surprised if her new EIC ,Paul Whittaker (who was kept informed of all email correspondence between Ms Lewis and me) thinks otherwise,

I will remind readers, and The Australian, that I was primarily concerned with Section 20 of The ASIO Act, and that the facts I relied on were those disclosed in Duncan Lewis's  interview with Samantha Maiden, published in the Daily Telegraph, 12 December 2015. Readers are reminded that my article was titled :

Duncan Lewis " I don’t buy that at all" comment on Islam,jihadism , may have breached ASIO Act 1979-Sacking is inevitable

There was a follow-up where I repeated the above and made some comment on Section 17A as Neil Brown did, but this was published yesterday(Wednesday).Rosie Lewis on the other hand,  in her email to me,  made specific reference to my post on Tuesday.

Having said that ,the issue remains as to who instigated Rosie Lewis's story.That she has relied on the ASIO historian John Blaxland reinforces the evidence already presented that the story was instigated by Duncan Lewis and ASIO. In doing so he has FURTHER breached Section 20 of the ASIO Act . It is curious also that Rosie Lewis relies on the words of a historian to counter claims made by Neil Brown, a barrister  who is Queens Counsel.  While I have never been in practice , I did present a legal argument quoting the relevant sections of the Act, and I did so given my own legal training (LLB,Monash, LLM , Sydney).

To repeat what I have posted on my blog: 

 "....interference in the work of a journalist critical of the ASIO Director General is clearly a breach of his duties ,stated explicitly in Section  20 of the ASIO Act 1979 , ie that he must ensure   ASIO's work is limited to what is necessary for the purposes of the discharge of its functions. It is very hard to see how ensuring that Duncan Lewis keeps his job at ASIO can ever be a discharge of its functions.

Duncan Lewis  must go now,and when he does, Rosie Lewis can then write a newsworthy article, rather than cheap PR pieces.Even as a PR piece is does not do very much.The matter of Duncan Lewis and the East Timor debacle remains unanswered. 

END 

Advising MPs ‘part of job’ for ASIO chief Duncan Lewis

• THE AUSTRALIAN
• DECEMBER 24, 2015 12:00AM
• SAVE
• PRINT

• Rosie Lewis

  

  Reporter

  Canberra

ASIO director-general Duncan Lewis. Picture: Lukas Coch

Official ASIO historian John Blaxland says the nation’s top spy chief has no authority to direct MPs to remain silent on Islam but declared director-general Duncan Lewis was acting “well within his remit” by advising politicians on national security matters.

As Attorney-General George Brandis said Mr Lewis should talk to MPs to help keep the government up to date on security threats, Dr Blaxland warned those challenging the director-general with “political agendas” not to play with “potential fire”.

Charged with writing volumes two and three of the spy agency’s official history, Dr Blaxland rejected suggestions from former Liberal­ minister Neil Brown and a blogger that Mr Lewis had breached­ sections of the ASIO Act by phoning Liberal backbenchers about their comments on Islam.

The sections state the act will not limit the right of people to engag­e in “lawful advocacy, protest or dissent” and that the director­-general will take reasonable steps to ensure the work of ASIO is “limited to what is necessary for the purposes of the discharge of its functions”.

Dr Blaxland said that public education and maintaining a level of awareness and understanding of security threats were “implicit” in Mr Lewis’s responsibilities.

“There’s no question that the director-general doesn’t have the authority to tell an MP not to speak on the subject but that’s not what Duncan Lewis has done, from what I understand,” Dr Blaxland told The Australian.

“In fact, he’s acted well within what most reasonable observers would say is a responsible range of what is understood to be his responsib­ilities.

“The controversial aspect is not whether Duncan Lewis gave that advice as the premier, pre-eminent­ security intelligence advise­r to Australia.

“The only element of controversy is whether he was prompted to do so for political purposes — that is something I can’t comment on because I don’t know.”

Senator Brandis said the director­-general had not done “anything inappropriate at all” and stressed the importance of Mr Lewis being available to MPs “if they want to discuss with him issue­s of concern”.

West Australian Andrew Hastie, a former SAS captain who has called for reform of extremist Islam­ic theology, confirmed last week that he was one MP contacted by Mr Lewis but said his freedom of speech had not been impinged upon. Victorian Dan Tehan is understood to talk regularly with the ASIO chief as chairman of the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and secu­rity. Neither have criticised Mr Lewis.

Asked if the calls had angered colleagues, Senator Brandis told ABC Radio: “Nobody has raised this with me as an issue of concern. I have read some media reports with anonymous sources, but I can assure you that one of the most importa­nt roles of the director-general of security is to keep the government and the parliament apprised of the threat situation.

“If that means having conversations with members of parliament about the threat situation and the appropriate way to deal with it then that’s exactly what the director-general should be doing, just as his predecessor David Irvine­ did the same.”

Cabinet secretary Arthur Sinodinos said the saga had been “blown out of proportion” and Mr Lewis had not tried to stifle public debate. He encouraged Mr Lewis to continue expressing his views.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ganesh Sahathevan <ganesh.sahathevan@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 24, 2015 at 9:24 AM
Subject: ASIO STRIKES BACK via the Canberra Press Gallery? There seems to have been a fatal breach of Sec 20....
To: 

by Ganesh Sahathevan

This writer was more than a bit flattered to have received an email from Rosie Lewis of The Australian, "following up your Tuesday  post on Duncan Lewis." One was even more flattered to see that Ms Lewis was of the Press Gallery Parliament House.

Being painfully aware that Canberra Press Gallery journalists seldom if ever have anything to do with freelance journalists  running  obscure blogs, especially ones with funny sounding names, Ms Lewis was asked who made her aware of my work. In response Ms Lewis would only say that her "chief of staff" whose name   I do not   know,  have never met, nor ever  contacted, referred her.  

Ms Lewis was the sent at least two further emails requesting the name of her "chief of staff", how  that person became aware of my "Tuesday  post on Duncan Lewis"  and which  "Tuesday  post on Duncan Lewis" she was referring to.

There is evidence that she has received and read the queries sent her,and therefore it can  be reported that Ms Lewis has refused to respond to my queries. Readers are reminded that it was Ms Lewis who first contacted this writer, but now  refuses to provide details of who sent her,how my stories (which I know have a limited readership) came to her attention, and what it is she wanted to speak about with regards  my "Tuesday  post on Duncan Lewis". It does seem as if someone has put Ms Lewis up to this,and whoever that might be,  he or she is  not a superior at The Australian. While who that person or persons might be is unknown,  what is known provides some interesting clues.

What is known is that the Tuesday posts about Duncan Lewis concerned his breach of Section 20 of the ASIO Act and another via email list (email copied below) , questions about whether our chief spy has been compromised. Some of these issueswere raised earlier on this blog. The matters raised in my email,which was sent Duncan Lewis ,Malcolm Turnbull and George Brandis is reproduced below. In essence , I have asked why Duncan Lewis should not share blame in the  intelligence failures that led to the East Timor debacle of 1999-2000 and I have asked that Duncan Lewis' role in that intelligence failure be made public. It is he who has sought a public profile based on his work in intelligence and counter-terrorism and he cannot now hide behind a cloak of secrecy, especially in matter concerning his track record.

Putting it all together,  it does seem as if Duncan Lewis and his subordinates at  ASIO  are unhappy if not uncomfortable with this writer's questions concerning  Lewis' complicity in the East Timor debacle,and are attempting some cheap spy novel  inspired operation to discredit this writer.This should not be surprising given reports over  the past weeks about  ASIO officers briefing Canberra Press Gallery journalists on the matter of Tony Abbott's call for a reformation of Islam, which they disapprove. 

While this writer does not claim equal stature to a deposed prime minister, interference in the work of a journalist critical of the ASIO Director General is clearly a breach of his duties ,stated explicitly in Section  20 of the ASIO Act 1979 , ie that he must ensure   ASIO's work is limited to what is necessary for the purposes of the discharge of its functions. It is very hard to see how ensuring that Duncan Lewis keeps his job at ASIO can ever be a discharge of its functions.

Duncan Lewis seems to have embarked on an adventure of self-destruction.He has brought his likely sacking onto himself. 

END 

Duncan Lewis compromised -Revisiting the allegations of Capt Andrew Plunkett

from:

Ganesh Sahathevan <ganesh.sahathevan@gmail.com>

to:duncan.lewis@ag.gov.au,
duncan.lewis@defence.gov.au.,
senator.brandis@aph.gov.au.,
"Turnbull, Malcolm (MP)" <malcolm.turnbull.mp@aph.gov.au.>
date:Wed, Dec 23, 2015 at 12:58 AMsubject:Duncan Lewis compromised -Revisiting the allegations of Capt Andrew Plunkett

Continued at link http://realpolitikasia.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/asio-strikes-back-via-canberra-press.html