Bite-sized alternative political analysis: China expert treated as a pariah by Labour Party
The facts:
University of Canterbury academic Anne-Marie Brady was blocked by Labour MPs from making to a submission on foreign interference. Professor Brady asked to make a submission to the Justice Select Committee regarding its inquiry into foreign interference in the 2017 general election and 2016 local elections. And in what was a shocking move, the Labour members on the committee voted against Brady giving a submission.
The Labour MPs voted against Brady ostensibly on the grounds that her request was late. However, the National MPs on the committee supported Brady’s request. The Committee Chair is Labour MP Raymond Huo.
Raymond Huo has previously been singled out by Professor Brady for his close relations with the Chinese Government. Brady had previously written that Huo works very publicly with the Chinese Government’s “united front organizations” in New Zealand, and that he promotes their policies.
After media scrutiny on the Justice Select Committee’s decision to block Brady, the Committee has now decided to accept Professor Brady’s submission.
Analysis:
The action of Labour MPs against Professor Anne-Marie Brady was quite extraordinary. Brady is New Zealand’s leading academic researcher on the Chinese state’s involvement in New Zealand affairs.
Any inquiry into foreign interference should by necessity involve Professor Brady. Yet Labour Party MPs have actively attempted to silence Brady. Of course, having Brady speak to the Committee will be highly embarrassing for the Committee Chair, Labour MP Raymond Huo. But that’s tough bikkies.
If Huo has nothing to hide, then he should be fine with Brady speaking to the Committee. But Labour’s attempts to block Brady just doesn’t look good for the Committee Chair Raymond Huo.
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This political roundup by John Moore is an extension on the five-minute breakfast political roundup that John gives on Radio One Dunedin, Monday to Thursday at 9am.
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