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May 2, 2025
Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong have dined out with figures holding links to the Chinese Communist Party in the lead up to the 2025 federal election, The Australian has reported.
The masthead revealed on Thursday that Prime Minister Albanese celebrated his 62nd birthday in March at a lunch with members of the Chinese Building Association of NSW, which has ties to Chinese state-run construction firms.
Foreign Minister Wong is also revealed to have dined with Labor Party donor Peter Zhiwu Zheng at a restaurant in Brisbane on April 7.
The donor is president of a Chinese cultural association that is reportedly linked to the CCP’s United Front Work Department.
It follows reports earlier this week that ten individuals associated with a group linked to Beijing’s influence operations agency were being recruited to staff Housing Minister Clare O’Neil’s election day polling booths.
Video of Mr Albanese sharing a meal with members of Chinese Building Association of NSW has been shared online on Chinese social media platform WeChat.
The association’s chief executive Garson Gao can be seen in the video seated to the right of the Prime Minister at the event, where Mr Albanese was regaled with a happy birthday song by attendees and presented with a cake.
Labor's campaign headquarters declined to comment on the revelations, The Australian reported.
Meanwhile, Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson has called on the Housing Minister and Labor Party to “come clean” about their associations with organisations linked to the CCP amid the ongoing controversy over the recruiting of volunteers.
“It appears from the reporting in The Australian today that Clare O’Neil and the Labor Party have not been completely up front and honest about their relationship with these individuals and with these groups,” Mr Paterson told Sky News Host Peter Stefanovic on Thursday.
“I think they really need to come clean today about how long they’ve been associating with these organisations, how long they've been seeking their support and how long they’ve been using their volunteers.”
Ms O’Neil rejected claims she requested support from the Hubei Assocation, which is accused of having ties with the CCP’s United Front Department.
Teal MP Monique Ryan also denied asking for support directly from the group’s president Ji Jianmin, who Ms Ryan admitted she had several meetings with.
The denial came after a volunteer from the Hubei Association said in a video posted online that Mr Ji had had directed Chinese diaspora to support the Teal MP.
Australia’s election watchdog has confirmed it will refer allegations of foreign interference by the Hubei Association.