Give the money back: Taylor, Hanson hone in on PM’s Point Piper fundraiser

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has called on the Labor Party to return the money it raised from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s dinner this month at the home of the 25-year-old son of a Chinese billionaire accused of deceiving the tax office by funnelling huge sums of money from China.Albanese’s fundraiser at the Point Piper home of Felix Lee, son of the controversial Phillip Lee, drew condemnation from his foes on Monday, a day after he dodged questions about the event before saying “I attend lots of dinners” and declining to go into specifics. The event netted the party about $100,000, but the figure has not yet been disclosed publicly.Felix Lee (centre), his father Phillip Dong Fang Lee, and Lee Family Office chair Joe Hockey.Artwork: Michael HowardTaylor acknowledged that “all politicians go to fundraising dinners” but questioned Albanese’s judgement and raised concerns about the source of Lee’s wealth.“Was there someone at this dinner where there is an allegation that that person has not paid the tax that they should have paid?” Taylor said. “These are questions he needs to answer. He hasn’t answered them. He never does.”“If they’re taking money from someone who should be giving that money to the tax office, the money should go to the tax office. That’s very clear.”This masthead revealed last week that a damning 189-page Australian Taxation Office affidavit detailed suspicions that Lee’s father, Phillip, used dishonest means to move vast sums of money from China to Australia over several years to fund his Australian business, property and gambling activities.Lee’s family investment office is chaired by former treasurer Joe Hockey. Sources connected to Lee say the business has distanced itself from Philip and ensured its affairs are above board. The presence of a group of top business figures at the dinner, including Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn and ex-ASIC chairman James Shipton, points to the legitimacy of Lee’s outfit.Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews, who was heavily criticised by both sides of politics for attending a Chinese military event alongside Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, was also there.Nationals leader Matt Canavan suggested the dinner had created a perception of impropriety, even if Lee is not himself accused of any wrongdoing.“I’m not sure the status of it, but just don’t take it, and that would help restore integrity and respect in the prime minister’s office,” Canavan said on the Seven Network, saying the matter “stinks” and represented a failure of Albanese’s advisers.Opposition Leader Angus Taylor.Dominic LorrimerSocial Services Minister Tanya Plibersek pointed out the hypocrisy of conservative politicians talking about billionaire influence given mining magnate Gina Rinehart’s commitment to right-wing causes.“Anything that’s donated above $5000 will have to be disclosed within a few days,” she told the Seven Network.When questioned about Albanese’s dinner, she said: “It’s a matter for the party.”One Nation leader Pauline Hanson also got stuck into Albanese over the dinner despite months of scrutiny over her links to Rinehart, who met Hanson at a luxury Italian hotel this month and donated a plane to One Nation earlier this year.“Lee’s father was a central figure in the 2022 inquiry into the basket case casino, having put $2.2 billion through Sydney’s Star casino including the use of prohibited Chinese debit cards,” Hanson said, referencing this masthead’s reporting.“There are allegations of billions flowing from China into Australia: this is the company the prime minister keeps.“The prime minister hits Australians with some of the highest taxes in the world, then dines with the family of a man the tax office reportedly chased for a quarter of a billion in unpaid tax.”Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.From our partners