Senator CICCONE (Victoria—Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate) (15:47): Serving as a senator, or indeed as a member of the other place, is quite an undertaking and requires us to make decisions on the basis of what is in the best interests of our community. In doing so, it is incumbent upon us to make those decisions without conflict or undue influence from any party—least of all from overseas interests. Over the course of many weeks now, we have heard successive reports in the media regarding the member for Chisholm—story after story. It was all piling up, and questions about her suitability to sit as a member of this parliament became more and more pressing. In an effort to release the mounting pressure, the honourable member in the other place decided to join Andrew Bolt on Sky to clear the air. I can only assume that in doing so the member for Chisholm was advised, probably by the Prime Minister's office, that Bolt would give her an easy run—a quick 15-minute appearance, some softball questions and all would be well. How wrong were they? How wrong they were indeed! Three times she was asked, and failed, to commit to Australia's bipartisan position on China's behaviour in the South China Sea. Over and over again she failed to explain her associations with numerous organisations, all of serious concern. The next day she issued a statement which featured a spectacular about-face. Suddenly the story changed. The questionable organisations were all remembered and the chairmanships suddenly recorded. We've since learned, through diligent reporting, of some senior Liberals being warned by our nation's own security agencies—it's been alleged by them—about the member for Chisholm's links with the Chinese Communist Party. Were those warnings that were given to senior Liberals heeded? Did a Liberal put the alleged advice of our security agencies ahead of their own ambitions to win the seat of Chisholm at the last federal election? Well, in the words of one government MP, as quoted in the article today, 'I believe those concerns were ignored.' Now the question becomes: why don't the Prime Minister and members of his government stand before the House of Representatives, or stand before this chamber, and declare that the member for Chisholm is a fit and proper person to sit in this parliament? What are those opposite afraid of? What do they know that we don't know? I'll tell you what we do know, Madam Deputy President: we know that there are reports that the member for Chisholm is a member of organisations that are of serious concern because of their links to the Chinese Communist Party. We know that it has been alleged in the papers yesterday and today that senior Liberals were advised that it would be 'unwise' to preselect her. We also know that the Prime Minister proudly declared, back in April of this year, 'How good is Gladys!' And, after today, I can say that we know one more thing: we know that there are a lot of folks on the other side who would probably want to have their time again in preselecting the member for Chisholm. All parliamentarians must be able to provide an assurance that they have no conflict of interest in serving the Australian people, whether here in the Senate or in the other place. It is up to the Prime Minister to demonstrate to the parliament, and to the Australian people and the people in the electorate of Chisholm in my home state of Victoria, that the member for Chisholm is a fit and proper person to sit in the Australian parliament.