It seems like Turnbull might have grown a spine. This will shine a spotlight on the motives of Labor and the Greens and put renewed focus on the question, “whose side are they really on”. It will also put a few former Liberals noses, like that of Andrew Robb, out of joint as well.
Labor and the Greens don’t want a ban on foreign donations, particularly to GetUp because this sinister and shadowy outfit are a Labor proxy and although they don’t donate directly to Labor, they run arms length hand in glove, sock puppet, media and ground campaigns (door knocking, handouts and robo calls) during the election proper deliberately targeting conservative MP’s while promoting their Labor mates.
This is seriously shady and sinister stuff. Andrew Robb is the former Liberal Trade Minister involved in the 99 year lease of Darwin Port to the Chinese group Landbridge, the same group he went to work for within days of leaving parliament.
“….Malcolm Turnbull is escalating pressure on Bill Shorten to back a dramatic expansion of treason laws to curb foreign influence in Australian politics amid growing fears over the use of cash and covert activities to undermine the national interest.
Amid an uproar over Chinese payments to Labor senator Sam Dastyari, the Prime Minister outlined sweeping criminal penalties on “agents” who do the bidding of foreign states to undermine Australian policies.
The government is facing a knife-edge vote in the Senate to pass the ambitious reforms, which include a ban on foreign donations to political parties as well as activist groups such as GetUp! — a step being fiercely opposed by Labor and the Greens.
Former Coalition trade minister Andrew Robb last night blasted the move as a “political stunt” and accused the Liberals of “trashing his reputation” after Attorney-General George Brandis said he would have to register as a foreign agent.
Under the proposed laws, those who act for foreign powers will be forced to reveal their status on a new register or face criminal charges for failing to be transparent, a measure that could capture lobbyists, former politicians and think tanks…” China links focus of treason laws