A raid on the home and business of a staff member of the New South Wales Labour councillor Shaoquett Moselmane was conducted by national security personnel. Moselmane was interviewed this afternoon by federal agents as part of an ongoing investigation into foreign interference.
This morning, the Federal Police and staff of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) carried out a raid on the residence of Mr. Moselmane's office part-time employee, Mr. Zhang Zhisen (John Zhang), who was employed in the office. Mr. Zhang's business in Sydney is also the scope of the search warrant.
Mr. Moselmane was interviewed in the afternoon by federal officials in a conference room in the parliament of the new state, just a few metres from his office, which was searched.
According to the Australian newspaper, the survey focused mainly on Mr. Zhang's activities, although Mr. Moselmane remained the subject of the survey.
The assault was confirmed by federal police and ASIO as part of an "ongoing investigation" that is believed to be referring to foreign intervention by Chinese government.
Mr Moselmane's controversial remarks about china have been criticized by his colleagues in the past, but he was suspended by the new state labour party this morning as the investigation became public.
"That's the right thing to do ," the New State Labour leader Jodi McKay told journalist ." He will no longer be in the caucus. He will no longer be a member of the Labour Party. His membership was suspended as we spoke. "
The New State Police minister David Elliot told The Australian newspaper that Ms. McKay had asked Mr. Moselmane to resign from parliament.
"I have asked him to resign today from parliament position, and if he does not resign, then Jodi should step down as a leader because she allows all this to happen under her supervision. "
"Just a few metres from the offices of the Governor, the Police minister and the Counter-Terrorism minister, the accusation of his complicity with foreign forces is frightening ,"
Mr. Moselmane made no secret of his support for the Chinese government. In april, he resigned as assistant speaker of the new state's upper house because he praised china's response to the Coronavirus crisis and Xi Jinping president's "decisive leadership" sparked controversy.
He declared in a speech in 2018 that China "the only way to realize its potential is to try to change existing rules and create a new world order ". That year, he also filed a motion in the parliament referring to the work of several Chinese citizen, including Professor Huang Xiangmo, a political donor. Huang was expelled from Australia government on suspicion of interference in a foreign country.
Since entering Parliament in 2009, Mr. Moselmane has visited China nine times. According to the filing documents, he is the honorary chairman of the Australian Shanghai Association, a founding member and former vice chairman of the Australian Chinese Association (Australian Chinese Association). Both organizations have been cited by scholars as organizations closely related to the Chinese government.
On the LinkedIn page, Mr. Zhang is the honorary chairman of the Shanghai Association of Australia.
