David Flint writes in this week's Spectator that communist China is in the process of bringing a range of countries into its sphere of influence.

Dastyari is probably small potatoes compared with a "powerful lobby among our political and other elites supporting an increasing role for Beijing in Australian affairs". This lobby "wants us to go one step further (than the Turnbull government's making us economically dependent on China) send off our allies, the Americans, and go some way towards accepting the suzerainty of Beijing".

"Shanghai Sam Dastyari knows enough about back yards to host a show
........
So for all the silliness surrounding the section 44 controversy, and the claims it is no longer relevant in a multicultural society, the constitutional demand for undivided loyalty is perhaps more imperative than ever. It is just that giving up citizenship is a base requirement rather than a foolproof preventive measure.

Shanghai Sam has taught us that much. By passing on his personal debts, spouting Beijing’s foreign policy lines and warning the Chinese we might be spying on them, he has shown utter ambivalence about his independence, our national interest or which side he is supposed to be on.

Yet Bill Shorten says Dastyari can stay in the Labor Party and in parliament.

This means he would be an active player in a Shorten Labor government. He would play a role in caucus decisions about domestic and foreign policy. Perhaps one day he would sit in cabinet. If so, he might also sit in the national security committee.

How could Shorten leave open this possibility? Do we expect voters would accept having Dastyari travel to Beijing as a senator, committee member or minister and represent Australia’s interests? Could he represent us in meetings with the US?

Perhaps Shorten would appoint Dastyari to parliament’s joint committee on intelligence and security, or to cabinet as defence or foreign minister. Or maybe Labor would send him into retirement as an ambassador to Beijing."

from a reader,
"...Dastyari is an example of all that is broken with the political class in general, and the shameless hypocrisy of the ALP and Shorten.

Once again Shorten and the ALP are given a pass due to incompetence from arguably the most incompetent in name Liberal Prime Minister since the founding of the Liberal Party.

The arrogance of Dastyari in refusing to resign again demonstrates the level of hubris the Opposition now exerts. Thanks to Turnbull and an insipid front bench this ALP Opposition Leader and the same old crew that were Ministers in the Rudd Gillard Governments will soon be back in power."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/shanghai-sam-dastyari-knows-enough-about-back-yards-to-host-a-show/news-story/46d4cbff93a36ed577d2777edd14ba02

Once there was the Peking Man and now there is the Bejing Man.

I still think he could be in breach of section 44 and should be referred to the High Court. He is not a dual citizen, but he has clearly had dealings with, and benefited from, the Chinese communist government via businessmen connected to that government.

While I certainly don't think Dastyari should ever be given any position of influence within any government ever again I don't think there are enough grounds to have him removed from the senate.

When I look at his pretty pathetic indiscretions compared to something like the AWB directly pouring millions of dollars into the coffers of a dictator under UN sanction.

Somehow our then deputy prime minister and foreign minister never set eyes on the over 20 cables from our diplomats and intelligence agencies informing them of the issues with kickbacks.

The Cole Inquiry recommended charges against 12 people yet not one occurred.

Sam is a preschooler compared to Howard and his bunch of nasties.

There is no defence of Dastyari, just another Labor grub. The Chinese billionaire businessman in question, Huang Xiangmo has undoubted links to the Chines government, there would be no such thing as a billionaire businessman in China who has no government links, a fact known to all Australian politicians. The trite indignation over the issue coming out of Turnballs is both hypocritical, and if the matter was not so serious laughable. Mr Xiangmo is very photogenic, having been photographed regularly with top Coalition party members, including Bishop, Abbott and of course Turnbull himself among others, it has also come to light than Andrew Robb was counted as a dear friend by Mr Xiangmo. Labor also have no shame on this with luminaries such as Gillard and Shorten having met, and again being photographed with the very photogenic Mr Xiangmo. Both Labor and the Coalition have received large political donations from Xingmo. The Liberal candidate for Bennelong John Alexander has a close associate of Xiangmo, a Mr Xu, helping him out with his campaign, something voters should "reward" on the 16th December. Xu the close associate was at the meeting between Xiangmo and Dastyari.
The people of Bennelong have a clear choice now, they can vote for Labor or Liberal and get Mr Xiangmo, or they can vote for the Greens, Justin Alick and get fair dinkum Aussie representation.