Federal police search Labor MP’s house

A south Sydney house belonging to NSW Labor upper house MP Shaoquett Moselmane has been searched by Australian Federal Police and intelligence officers. The AFP confirmed search warrants were executed in Sydney yesterday as part of an ongoing investigation and that there was no threat to the community. NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay said she had been told police and ASIO members entered Moselmane’s Rockdale home and had a warrant for his parliamentary office. Asked if the searches related to suspicions of Chinese government filtration, McKay said: ‘‘No, this came as a surprise to me.’’ McKay was to be briefed by law enforcement agencies later yesterday and told reporters one of Moselmane’s staff may also be involved. ‘‘It’s dreadfully concerning, it’s terrible,’’ McKay said. ‘‘There’s an expectation on MPs that, whatever they do, it’s in the best interests of the people of the state. I’d hope every single MP in the parliament – not just on the Labor side but the Liberal and National Party side and crossbench – has that at the heart of their actions. I’m very restricted in what I can and can’t say.’’ Moselmane’s membership of NSW Labor will be suspended and he will no longer sit in the Labor parliamentary caucus, she added. Moselmane in April stood down as assistant president of the NSW upper house after praising Chinese President Xi Jinping’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying Xi had demonstrated ‘‘unswerving leadership’’ and decisiveness. He has been a member of the NSW upper house since December 2009 and between 1995 and 2009 served four stints as Rockdale City Council mayor.