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Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Gold Dealers linked to a multimillion-dollar tax scam


Labor is reeling after an adviser resigned amid revelations that the party bankrolled its 2016 federal election campaign with the help of up to $140,000 in donations from gold dealers linked to a multimillion-dollar tax scam.

ALP reels after resignation and calls for China donations inquiry






The NSW Labor Party received donations totalling at least $120,000 for last year’s federal election campaign from companies with links to a Chinese-born businessman selected to run as a party Senate candidate.

Four companies either run by or connected to “Simon” Shuo Zhou, a Sydney-based gold trader with strong political affiliations to a pro-Beijing lobby organisation, made separate donations to the NSW ALP over a 24-hour period just a week after the July 2 election was called.

Mr Zhou, given seventh spot on Labor’s Senate ticket in NSW last year, was also named in an Administrative Appeals Tribunal case as being connected to a company involved in a $143 million gold-trading scandal that resulted in the Australian Taxation Office demanding $20m in unpaid taxes and penalties.
Over the past few days he has quit from his part-time paid job as a party officer based in the NSW ALP’s head office with responsibility for handling relations with the Chinese community in ­Sydney.
Labor is reeling after an adviser resigned amid revelations that the party bankrolled its 2016 federal election campaign with the help of up to $140,000 in donations from gold dealers linked to a multimillion-dollar tax scam.


Senate candidate’s China links find $120k for Labor


Eastwin Trade Pty Ltd and Commissioner of Taxation (Taxation) [2017] AATA 140 (10 February 2017) 


Other Gold bullion cases:
Cash World Gold Buyers Pty Ltd (Taxation) [2017] AATA 736 (17 May 2017)